The solubility product, often represented as Ksp, is a constant that indicates the extent to which a sparingly soluble ionic compound can dissolve in water. It is defined as the product of the concentrations of the ions in a saturated solution, each raised to the power of their coefficients in the balanced chemical equation. For example, for a compound AB that dissociates into A+ and B-, the solubility product is expressed as Ksp = [A+][B-]. The value of Ksp helps predict whether a precipitate will form when two solutions are mixed. If the product of the ion concentrations exceeds the Ksp, a solid will precipitate out of the solution. Understanding the solubility product is essential in fields like chemistry and environmental science, where it plays a crucial role in processes such as water treatment and mineral extraction.