How to identify whether a metal carbonate is basic or not? [closed]








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Magnesium carbonate is basic, but why isn't lithium carbonate also basic? And how does one determine whether a carbonate is basic or not?




lithium carbonate and magnesium carbonate behave near enough the same. lithium carbonate is basic just not as basic as other group 1 carbonates. It also has low solubility in water and is the only group 1 carbonate that isn't thermally stable.


It is still is basic but it just doesn't fit to the general trends. 


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