Simple Rules for the Solubility of Salts in Water

1.  Most Nitrate (NO3-1) salts are soluble.

2.  Most salts containing the alkali metal ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Cs+, Rb+) and the ammonium ion (NH4+) are soluble.

3.  Most chloride, bromide, and iodide salts are soluble. Notable exceptions are salts containing the ions Ag+, Pb+2, and Hg2+2.

4. Most sulfate salts are soluble. Notable exceptions are BaSO4, PbSO4, and CaSO4.

5.  Most hydroxide salts are only slightly soluble. The important soluble hydroxides are NaOH and KOH. The compounds Ba(OH)2, Sr(OH)2, and Ca(OH)2 are marginally soluble.

6.  Most sulfide (S-2), carbonate (CO3-2), chromate (CrO4-2), and phosphate (PO4-3) salts are only slightly soluble.

7.  Most acetates are soluble except for those of silver which are only slightly soluble.

Strong  Acids                                                   Strong bases_____

HCl                                                                         Group 1 hydroxides

H2SO4                                                                                  Mg, Sr, Ca, Ba hydroxides

HNO3                                                                                   All other bases are weak

HClO4

HClO3

HI

HBr

All other acids are weak