Which of the following ionic compounds are expected to be insoluble in water?Group of answer choicesMgCO3MgSO4Li2SO4Li2CO3

The solubility of ionic compounds in water is determined by the balance between the energy required to break the ionic bonds in the compound and the energy released when the ions interact with water molecules.

1. MgCO3 (Magnesium Carbonate): Magnesium carbonate is generally considered insoluble in water. This is because the ionic bonds in MgCO3 are quite strong, and the energy released when it interacts with water is not sufficient to break these bonds.

2. MgSO4 (Magnesium Sulfate): Magnesium sulfate is soluble in water. The sulfate ion is a very polar molecule and can form strong interactions with water molecules, which can provide enough energy to break the ionic bonds in the compound.

3. Li2SO4 (Lithium Sulfate): Lithium sulfate is soluble in water. Lithium ions are very small and can form strong interactions with water molecules, which can provide enough energy to break the ionic bonds in the compound.

4. Li2CO3 (Lithium Carbonate): Lithium carbonate is slightly soluble in water. While lithium ions can form strong interactions with water molecules, the carbonate ion is not as polar as the sulfate ion, so the energy released when Li2CO3 interacts with water is not always sufficient to break all the ionic bonds in the compound.

So, out of the given options, MgCO3 (Magnesium Carbonate) is expected to be insoluble in water.