Which of the following expresses the common solubility rules for nitrates, chlorides, sulfates, carbonates, and hydroxides?

• A. Nitrates are insoluble.
• B. Nitrates and acetates are soluble; most chlorides are soluble except Ag+, Pb2+, Hg2^2+; many sulfates are soluble except Ba2+, Sr2+, Pb2+; carbonates and phosphates are insoluble except with NH4+ and group 1; hydroxides are insoluble except alkali metals and Ba(OH)2.
• C. Sulfates are insoluble.
• D. Hydroxides are always soluble.

Answer: (B)

Understanding common solubility rules for salts in water helps predict which compounds dissolve and which form precipitates. Nitrates dissolve in water readily, and acetates behave similarly, so they’re both soluble. Most chlorides are soluble as well, with a few notable exceptions for certain cations like silver, lead(II), and mercury(I). For sulfates, the general trend is solubility, but there are important exceptions where salts of barium, strontium, and lead are insoluble due to stronger lattice energy that hydration cannot fully overcome. Carbonates and phosphates usually form insoluble salts, except when paired with ammonium or any alkali metal, which disrupts the lattice enough to dissolve. Hydroxides are mostly insoluble, with the key exceptions that alkali metal hydroxides and barium hydroxide are soluble.

This collection of statements matches the widely used solubility rules, making it the best description for these ions and their common salts.