Hydroxyapatite Solubility: Demonstrations and Excel-Based Activities for General and Analytical Chemistry

Activities, calculations, and demonstrations related to the solubility of hydroxyapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH), which is the main component in tooth enamel, are described. The colorful demonstration described for General Chemistry classes provides students with an example that allows for various calculations using the solubility product constant, Ksp. For Analytical Chemistry, the solubility of hydroxyapatite is explored though calculations performed in Microsoft Excel. The Excel activity integrates the topics of the solubility of inorganic salts, pH, acid–base chemistry, and the systematic treatment of equilibria.