Solutions, Suspensions, and Solubility Notes

Solutions, Suspensions, & Solubility

Definitions

  • Solute: Substance that dissolves in a solution/homogeneous mixture.

  • Solvent: Substance that dissolves the solute in a solution/homogeneous mixture and forms the bulk of the solution.

  • Homogeneous: Uniform in composition.

  • Solution: A homogeneous mixture of one or more solutes completely dissolved in a solvent.

States of Matter in Solutions

  • Solvent States & Solute Examples:

    • Solid solvent: Alloys like bronze (tin in copper), steel (carbon in iron), brass.

    • Liquid solvent: Alcohol in water, salt in water, carbon dioxide in water (fizzy drinks).

    • Gas solvent: Air (oxygen, carbon dioxide, noble gases in nitrogen).

Universal Solvent

  • Water is considered a universal solvent; solutions with water as the solvent are aqueous solutions.

Other Solvents

  • Examples: Acetone, petrol (kerosene), turpentine (paint thinner).

Applications

  • Home: Cooking, washing.

  • Agriculture: Fertilizers, weed killers.

  • Medicine: Iodine in alcohol (antiseptic), Vitamin C (dissolved in water).

  • Industries: Raw material for food, drinks, textiles, soaps, detergents; turpentine and alcohols are used in manufacturing paints, inks, and dyes.

Suspensions

  • Heterogeneous mixture of a solid in a liquid.

Solutions vs. Suspensions

  • Appearance:

    • Solution: Transparent.

    • Suspension: Translucent to opaque.

  • Uniformity:

    • Solution: Homogeneous.

    • Suspension: Heterogeneous.

  • Sedimentation:

    • Solution: No.

    • Suspension: Yes.

  • Filtration:

    • Solution: No.

    • Suspension: Yes.

  • Particle Size:
    * Solution: Very Tiny
    * Suspension: Very Large

  • Transmission of light:

    • Solution: Yes.

    • Suspension: No.

  • Scattering of light:

    • Solution: No.

    • Suspension: Yes.

Separating Mixtures

  • Suspensions can be separated by filtration.

  • Solutions (e.g., salt and water) can be separated by evaporation.

Concentration of Solutions

  • Dilute Solution: Contains a small amount of solute in a large amount of solvent.

  • Concentrated Solution: Contains a large amount of solute in a given amount of solvent.

  • Saturated Solution: Contains the maximum amount of solute dissolved in a given amount of solvent at a specific temperature.

Solubility

  • The maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a specific solvent at a specific temperature.

  • Solubility of solids generally increases with temperature.

  • Solubility of gases decreases as temperature increases.

Factors Affecting Solubility

  • Nature of solute and solvent.

  • Temperature.

  • Stirring or agitation.

  • Particle size (smaller particles dissolve faster).