Chemistry: Physical Properties of Solutions

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from Chemistry Chapter 13: Physical Properties of Solutions.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances, consisting of a solvent and one or more solutes.

Solvent

The component of a solution typically present in the greatest amount, which dissolves other substances.

Solute

A substance that is dissolved in a solvent to form a solution.

Unsaturated Solution

A solution that contains less solute than the solvent has the capacity to dissolve at a specific temperature.

Saturated Solution

A solution that contains the maximum amount of solute that will dissolve in a solvent at a specific temperature.

Supersaturated Solution

A solution that contains more dissolved solute than is present in a saturated solution and is generally unstable.

Solvation

The process occurring when solute molecules are separated from one another and surrounded by solvent molecules.

Entropy

A measure of how dispersed or spread out a system's energy is.

"Like dissolves like"

A principle stating that two substances with similar types and magnitudes of intermolecular forces are likely to be soluble in each other.

Miscible

Describes two liquids that are completely soluble in each other in all proportions.

Concentration

The amount of solute relative to the volume of a solution or to the amount of solvent in a solution.

Molarity (M)

A unit of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution.

Mole Fraction (X)

A unit of concentration defined as the ratio of moles of a component to the total moles of all components in a solution.

Molality (m)

A unit of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute dissolved in 1 kg (1000 g) of solvent.

Percent by Mass

A concentration unit calculated as the mass of solute divided by the total mass of the solution, multiplied by 100.

Parts per million (ppm)

A concentration unit with a multiplier of 1,000,000, indicating the number of parts of solute per million parts of solution.

Henry's Law

States that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is proportional to the pressure of the gas over the solution (c = kP).

Colligative Properties

Properties that depend on the number of solute particles in solution, but not on the nature of the solute particles.

Raoult's Law

States that the partial pressure of a solvent over a solution is given by the vapor pressure of the pure solvent times the mole fraction of the solvent in the solution.

Boiling Point Elevation

A colligative property where solutions boil at a higher temperature than the pure solvent.

Freezing Point Depression

A colligative property where solutions freeze at a lower temperature than the pure solvent.

Osmosis

The selective passage of solvent molecules through a porous membrane from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated one.

Osmotic Pressure (", Greek pi)

The pressure required to stop osmosis (π = MRT).

Electrolytes

Substances that undergo dissociation when dissolved in water, producing ions.

van't Hoff Factor (i)

A factor that accounts for the dissociation of electrolytes in solution, representing the effective number of particles an electrolyte produces.

Ion Pair

A unit made up of one or more cations and one or more anions held together by electrostatic forces in solution.

Percent Dissociation

The percentage of dissolved molecules or formula units that separate into ions in a solution.

Colloid

A dispersion of particles of one substance throughout another substance, where particles are much larger than normal solute molecules.

Aerosol

A type of colloid where a liquid or solid is dispersed in a gas (e.g., fog, smoke).

Foam

A type of colloid where a gas is dispersed in a liquid or solid (e.g., whipped cream, Styrofoam).

Emulsion

A type of colloid where a liquid is dispersed in another liquid (e.g., mayonnaise).

Sol

A type of colloid where a solid is dispersed in a liquid (e.g., milk of magnesia).

Gel

A type of colloid where a liquid is dispersed in a solid (e.g., jelly, butter).

Solid Sol

A type of colloid where a solid is dispersed in another solid (e.g., brass, gemstones).

Hydrophilic Colloids

Colloids with water as the dispersing medium that are 'water loving' and stable due to surface interactions with water.

Hydrophobic Colloids

Colloids with water as the dispersing medium that are 'water fearing' and require stabilization, often by adsorbed ions or hydrophilic groups.

Emulsification

The process of stabilizing a colloid that would otherwise not stay dispersed, often through the use of an emulsifying agent.