common ion effect

The common ion effect refers to the decrease in the solubility of a salt when a common ion is added to the solution. For example, if you dissolve table salt (sodium chloride) in water and then add more sodium ions from another source, the salt will dissolve less because the solution is already saturated with sodium ions. This phenomenon is important in many areas, including chemistry and environmental science, as it can influence reactions, the behavior of ions in solutions, and the effectiveness of drugs and fertilizers in biological systems.