Tooth Enamel Is Composed of the Mineral Hydroxyapatite

question 48

Multiple Choice

Tooth enamel is composed of the mineral hydroxyapatite. It is essentially insoluble in water with K_sp  2.3  10^59, but it reacts with weak acids in the mouth as described by one of the reaction equations below. You can determine the equilibrium constant, K, for this reaction from K_sp and K_w (the equilibrium constant for water autoionization) . How do you do this?

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Definitions:

Ossicles

The three small bones located in the middle ear, named the malleus, incus, and stapes, that play a key role in transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear.

Middle Ear

The portion of the ear containing the ossicles, which connect the eardrum to the oval window and amplify sound waves.

Cochlea

The fluid-filled, snail-shaped, bony chamber in the inner ear that contains the basilar membrane and its hair cells (the sound receptors).

Basilar Membranes

A structure in the cochlea of the inner ear that vibrates in response to sound, playing a key role in the sensory coding of auditory signals.