V.C.E Chemistry

Year 11 Revision Notes

Behaviour of Solutions

Behaviour of Solutions

Explain the process of solution of Solids in liquids.

The Process of Dissolution

Factors Affecting Solubility of a Solid in a Liquid

The Nature of the Solid ( Solute)

The Nature of the Liquid (Solvent)

Temperature

Agitation

Concentration

Define saturated unsaturated and super saturated solutions.

Saturation

A Saturated Solution

An Unsaturated Solution

A Super Saturated Solution

Use solubility tables or graphs to indicate if a given solution is saturated, unsaturated or supersaturated

Solubilty

Solubility Curves

Be able to distinguish between types of mixtures - solutions, alloys, emulsion, colloids and suspensions.

Solutions

Suspensions

Colloids

Alloys

Emulsion

Behaviour of Solutions

 

Explain the process of solution of Solids in liquids.

Solutions can be formed in many different ways, e.g. when a solid crystalline dissolves in water, when a gas dissolves in a liquid etc. At this stage we are mainly concerned with the dissolution of a solid cystalline substance into a liquid to form a homogenous mixture.

Terms

Solute – the solid which dissolves in the liquid

Solvent – the liquid in which the solid dissolves

Dissolution – the process of dissolving of the crystalline solid in the liquid

Crystallization – the reforming of the crystalline solid from the mixture

 

The Process of Dissolution

The particles of the solid are torn from the crystal lattice by the molecules of the solvent. These solvated particles are then dispersed randomly through out the solvent. Increasing the temperature weakens the bonds with in the solid (increased vibrations) and increases the Kinetic Energy of the solvent particles so that more energy is available for removing the solute particles.

 

Factors Affecting Solubility of a Solid in a Liquid

The Nature of the Solid ( Solute)

Ionic substances are, in general soluble in ionic or polar substances

So ionic NaCl is soluble in H2O which is polar but is insoluble in CCl4 (carbon tetra chloride which is a non polar solvent

Covalent substances are in general soluble in covalent or non polar liquids

So covalent I2 is insoluble in polar H2O and soluble in non polar CCl4

The Nature of the Liquid (Solvent)

Ionic or polar liquids will dissolve ionic or polar solids

Covalent liquids will dissolve covalent solids

Temperature

Energy is required to “tear” the solid particles from their crystal lattice. Ay higher temperatures, more heat energy is available for this purpose and as a result more solid will dissolve more easily, there are however exceptions. The process of dissolving a solid in a liquid involves two factors

a)      the tearing of the solute particle from the solid lattice, i.e. overcoming solute / solvent attractions involving the use of energy

b)      the solvation (surrounding) of the solute particle by solvent molecules, i.e. solute / solvent attraction, resulting in the release of energy to the system

If these two processes are in balance, no heat will be evolved or absorbed by the system. If they are not, heat my be either absorbed or evolved depending on the solute or solvent

Agitation

In general, agitation of the solvent will increase the rate at which a solute will dissolve in a solvent.

Concentration

A solution’s concentration is determined by the relative amounts of solute and solvent in that solution. There are several ways of expressing concentration, some of them being

i)                    gram of solute per 100 gm of solvent

ii)                   mass of solute present in 100 gm of solution (written as a % as in 10% w/w)

iii)                 mass of solute present in 100 cm3 of solution (written as %  as in 10% w/v)

iv)                 very low concentration are expressed as parts per million (p.p.m.)

v)                  Amount of substance of solute per cubic decimetre (litre) of solution mol-1 dm3 (the moist common. This is called molar concentration

 

 

Define saturated unsaturated and super saturated solutions.

Saturation

There is a limit to the amount of a solute which can be dissolved in a given amount of solvent at a given temperature. Additional solute will not dissolve and the solid and the liquid solution are said to be in equilibrium. That is, the number of particles leaving lattice = the number of particles re-entering the lattice

A Saturated Solution

Is a solution which is in equilibrium with undissolved solute at a given temperature

An Unsaturated Solution

Is a solution containing less solute than the amount required to saturate the solution at a given temperature

A Super Saturated Solution

It is possible to form solutions in which the amount of solute exceeds that required for saturation. Such a solution is said to be supersaturated. These solutions are very unstable and normally recrystallize very easily and rapidly.

 

Use solubility tables or graphs to indicate if a given solution is saturated, unsaturated or supersaturated

 

Solubilty

The solubility of a solute in a particular solvent is defined a

The number of grams of solute which will dissolve in 100 gm of solvent at a particular temperature.

Solubility Curves

The solubility of a solute in a solvent varies with temperature. A graph drawn to show this relationship for a particular compound is called a solubility curve. Using these curves we can determine the solubility at a particular temperature as well as the variation of solubility with temperature. We can also use solubility curves aand tables to indicate whether a given solution is saturated, unsaturated or supersaturated

 

i.e. above the curve = supersaturated

      on the curve  = saturated

      below the curve = unsaturated

 

 

 

Be able to distinguish between types of mixtures - solutions, alloys, emulsion, colloids and suspensions.

 

Solutions

The term solution is not confined to solids in liquids but includes systems of solids, liquids or gases in liquids. A solution is a homogenous mixture obtained by the dissolving of a solute in a solvent. The particles in a solution can not be filtered from the liquid and do not settle out when allowed to stand. These particles are extremely small, being less than a millionth of a millimetre in diameter. The dispersed particles of a solution are indivual small particles or ions, the smallest possible units of the dissolved substance. It is difficult to make any generalization about the solubility of substances in liquids, but one useful working rule is as follows.

Covalent substances are usually soluble in covalent liquids

Ionic substances are not usually soluble in covalent liquids but usually soluble in polar liquids such as water, which allows the ions to dissociate.

Suspensions

In a suspension, the dispersed particles are large enough to be filtered out from the liquid and will eventually settle out as a sediment, e.g. mud in water. The particles of a suspension are at least one thousandth of a millimetre in diameter.

Colloids

Like solutions, colloids cannot be filtered to remove particle, nor will the dispersed particles settle out. On the other hand, colloids have one important property in common with suspensions, they scatter light of an incident light beam, so that the path of the beam through the colloid is marked by a bright cloudiness – known as the Tindall Effect. This cloudiness is not observed with solutions. Colloidal sized particles, (between one millionith and one thousandth of a millimetre in diameter) are usually large molecules or clusters of ions. Some colloids are very stable indeed.

Alloys

Alloys are mixtures of two or more metals, or of a metal and some other material. Most alloys contain a large amount of one metal, called the base metal, and smaller amounts of one or more other metals or non-metals. Many pure metals are too soft, rust too easily or other mechanical or chemical disadvantages to be useful themselves But usually these disadvantages can be overcome if the metal is combined with other metals into alloys. Two metals can be mixed in various proportions to produce alloys with quite different characteristics. Three, four or more different metals may be mixed together to form s single alloy.

Most alloys are made by heating (and melting) two or more metals, mixing them together and allowing them to harden. Some alloys can be formed without melting, e.g. powdered mixtures of metal are heated, and the fine particles may join together to form a compact mass.

Emulsion

Is a preparation of one liquid evenly dispersed in another. The two liquids do not dissolve in each other. Rather, tiny drops of the dispersed liquid remain suspended in the other liquid. These drops range in size form 0.1 to 20 thousandths of a millimetre. Some common substances such as cosmetic lotions, foods, lubricants, medicines and paints are emulsions. Emulsions are not permanently stable. The liquids separate from each other after a period of time. To help keep them mixed and emulsifying agent is needed, e.g. milk is an emulsion of butter fat in water, the protein casein is the emulsifier that keeps the butter fat suspended in the milk.

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