Solubility and Crystals

Unsaturated Solution

a solution that contains less than the maximum amount of solute capable of being dissolved

Saturated Solution

a solution that contains the maximum amount of solute that is capable of being dissolved

Supersaturated Solution

a solution that contains more dissolved solute than is needed to form a saturated solution at the same temperature; must warm up solvent to allow more solute

Crystal

a solid material whose particles are arranged in an ordered pattern (geometric)

3 ways crystals are formed

1. Freezing a liquid from a melted substance

2. Forming a solid precipitate from a chemical reaction (usually of two liquids)

3. Cooling/evaporating a solution

Physical Change

substances that may change appearance but are not changed into new substances, e.g., melting, evaporating, etc.

Chemical Change

one or more substances changing into new substances, e.g., rusting, burning, etc.

Forming a crystal is:

Both

Solution

a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances in relative amounts that can vary up to a limit of solubility

What makes up a solution?

Solvent (stuff you’re dissolving into) + Solute (stuff being dissolved) = Solution ex: water + gatorade powder = gatorade

Which way did crystals form in our lab?

evaporating and cooling the solution

What kind of solution did we use in the lab?

a supersaturated solution

How did we make a supersaturated solution?

We heated up the solvent (water), slowly added the solute (copper sulfate), stirred until it was fully dissolved, and then slowly cooled the solution