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Characteristics of Solutions: Solutions are homogeneous mixtures containing two or more substances called the solute and solvent.
The solute is the substance that dissolves.
The solvent is the dissolving medium. When looking at a solution it is impossible to distinguish the solute from the solvent.
A solution can exist as a solid, liquid or gas depending on the state of the solvent.
Types of Solutions and Examples Type of Solution Example Solvent Solute
GAS Gas in gas Air Nitrogen(gas) Oxygen (gas)
LIQUID Gas in liquid Carbonated water Water(liquid) Carbon dioxide(gas)
Liquid in liquid Vinegar Water (liquid) Acetic acid (liquid)
Solid in liquid Ocean water Water(liquid) NaCl(solid) SOLID
Liquid in solid Dental amalgam Silver(solid) Mercury(liquid)
Solid in solid Steel Iron(solid) Carbon(solid)
Remember that a substance that dissolves in a solvent is said to be soluble in that solvent.
A substance that does not dissolve in a solvent is insoluble.
Two liquids that are soluble in each other are said to be miscible such as water and vinegar, coffee and cream
Liquids that are not soluble in each other are immiscible such as vegetable oil and vinegar, gasoline and water
Process of Dissolving: Solvent particles surround solute particles to form a solution in a process called solvation.
(This dissolving process in water is called hydration.) This process often results in a change
in energy – usually observed by an increase or decrease in temperature.
Remember the phrase Like dissolves like” – this means thatpolar dissolves polar & nonpolar
dissolves nonpolar. List examples in the table.
Polar Solvent/Solute Nonpolar Solvent/Solute Water and salt Tea and sugar Coke and cherry flavoring
Paint thinner and paint Makeup remover and waterproof makeup Hairspray and ink
A soluble substance is able to dissolve in a solvent because attractive forces between the
solvent and solute particles are strong enough to overcome the attractive forces
holding the solute together.
Some solutions conduct electricity because the solute is an electrolyte. NOTE: an
electrolyte is an ionic compound that dissociates (breaks apart) in water to form a solution that
conducts an electric current.
Solutes that only produce a few ions in solution would be considered a weak
electrolyte and a solution that contains lots of ions would be a strong electrolyte.
Solubility refers to the maximum amount of solute that will dissolve in a
given amount of solvent at a given temperature and pressure.
Solubility Rules determine which compounds are soluble or insoluble.
- We used solubility rules when learning about precipitation reactions in unit 7
- The solubility rules are on the back of the periodic table.
Factors that affect solubility
- Temperature
a. Solid solutes in water: if you increase temperature, the solubility generally increases
b. Gas solutes in water: if you increase temperature, the solubility decreases
- Amount of solute: All tables and figures showing solubility MUST indicate the mount of solvent involved
- Agitation: Stirring or agitating any solution will generally increase dissolving by bringing fresh solvent into contact with more solute
- Surface Area (particle size of solute): since dissolving occurs at the surface of a
solid, by increasing the surface area we can increase the rate of dissolving. NOTE! Smaller
particles increase surface area!!
Gases are usually more soluble at lower temperatures and under pressure. (opposite of solids)
Solution Concentration The concentration of a solution is a measure of how much solute is dissolved in a
specific amount of solvent or solutions. Concentration can be described qualitatively using
the words concentrated or dilute.
A concentrated solution contains a large amount of solute
A dilute solution contains a small amount of solute
We also can express concentration quantitatively. We can do this by using
molarity.
Molarity (M) is one of the most common units used to describe
the concentration of a solution. The unit (M) is read as molar. The larger the number, the more concentrated the solution.
To calculate the molarity of a solution, you must know the volume of the solution and
the amount (in moles) of dissolved solute. See the equation below.
Molarity (M) = moles of solute Liters of solution
Sample Problem: Calculate the molarity of 1.60 L of a solution containing 1.55 g of dissolved KBr. Remember to convert grams to moles!
Calculating Dilution of Solutions Sometimes we have to dilute solutions to make them the right concentration. The equation is: M 1 V 1 = M 2 V 2
Example Problem: When we do labs, we often use a diluted solution of hydrochloric acid. We buy concentrated HCl; it is 12M! How much 12M HCl do I need to make a 0.5 L of 0.1M solution?
