Answer: A. The compound CuCl is 500 times less soluble in sea water than it is in pure water.
pure water.
Explanation:
Any change in the equilibrium is studied on the basis of Le-Chatelier's principle.
This principle states that if there is any change in a equilibrium reaction, the equilibrium will shift in a direction so as to minimize the effect.
Thus when a common ion is introduced to an equilibrium reaction, the equilibrium will shift in a direction where the concentration of common ion is decreasing.
[tex]CuCl\rightleftharpoons Cu^++Cl^-[/tex]
[tex]NaCl\rightarrow Na^++Cl^-[/tex]
When common ion such as [tex]Cl^-[/tex] from NaCl in sea water is introduced to an equilibrium reaction, the equilibrium will shift in a direction where the concentration of common ion is decreasing i.e. in the left side and thus solubility of CuCl further decreases.