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.