Saturday, April 1, 2017

physical chemistry - Soil-solution cations in competition for exchange sites


How could one determine the likelihood of one cation displacing another on a negatively charged exchange site of a clay particle?



For example, in a soil solution containing equal parts (by number of atoms) $\ce{Ca^2+}$, $\ce{Mg^2+}$, $\ce{K+}$, $\ce{Na+}$, $\ce{Al^3+}$, which cations will find the most exchange sites and which will ultimately be washed deeper into the soil? (Assuming there are not enough sites for all of them.)


Could two $\ce{Na+}$ cations displace an adsorbed $\ce{Ca^2+}$ cation simply because they "bump" into it? Or is there some mechanism where cations are dislodged? Is it easier for two $\ce{Na+}$ to replace $\ce{Ca^2+}$ or for $\ce{Ca^2+}$ to replace two $\ce{Na+}$?




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periodic trends - Comparing radii in lithium, beryllium, magnesium, aluminium and sodium ions

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