[Jewelry making - Article 00124] - Re: [Orchid] Liver Of Sulphar break down after use?

[FrodoGem]

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    Liver of sulfer breaks down in what is called a double replacement
    reaction.  When dissolved in water it dissociates into postive
    potassium ions and negative sulfide ions.  A very small percentage
    of water will always autoionize into positive hydrogen ions and
    negative hydroxide ions. 

    The positive hydrogen ions find the negative sulfide ions find one
    another and combine to form hydrogen sulfide, which is a gas. The gas
    passes out of the water giving a rotten egg smell. As it does so, it
    leaves behind the positive potassium and negative hydroxide ions. 

    Since only a very small percentage of water autoionizes at any given
    time, the reaction is very slow...the gas must form and pass out of
    the water before there is room for more water to autoionize. 
    However, over a period of days, the potassium sulfide solution turns
    into a potassium hydroxide solution consuming the necessary amount
    of water as it does so. 

Howard Woods
Eagle Idaho

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