When potash alum is dissolved in water the total number of ions produced is
(a) Four
(b) Eight
( c) Ten ltBRgt (d) Thirly -two .

Explanation

To determine the total number of ions produced when potash alum is dissolved in water, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the formula of potash alum
The formula for potash alum is K₂SO₄·Al₂(SO₄)₃·24H₂O. This indicates that potash alum contains potassium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, and water of crystallization.

**Hint:** Look for the chemical formula to identify the components of the compound.

### Step 2: Break down the components of potash alum
When potash alum dissolves in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions. The components are:
- 2 potassium ions (K⁺)
- 2 aluminum ions (Al³⁺)
- 4 sulfate ions (SO₄²⁻)

**Hint:** Identify the ions produced from each part of the formula.

### Step 3: Count the total number of ions produced
Now, we can count the total number of ions produced:
- From potassium: 2 K⁺ ions
- From aluminum: 2 Al³⁺ ions
- From sulfate: 4 SO₄²⁻ ions

Adding these together:
2 (from K⁺) + 2 (from Al³⁺) + 4 (from SO₄²⁻) = 8 ions

**Hint:** Sum the number of ions from each type to find the total.

### Step 4: Consider the water molecules
While there are 24 water molecules (H₂O) present, they do not dissociate into ions. Therefore, they are not counted in the total number of ions.

**Hint:** Remember that only dissociated ions contribute to the total ion count.

### Conclusion
The total number of ions produced when potash alum is dissolved in water is **8**.

**Final Answer:** (b) Eight