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Solubility - (CCEA)Solubility and temperature

Solubility is a measurement of the maximum mass of a substance which will dissolve in 100 g of water at a particular temperature. The solubility of solids and gases in water varies with changes in temperature.

Part of Chemistry (Single Science)Structures, trends, chemical reactions, quantitative chemistry and analysis

Solubility and temperature

The solubility of solids increases as temperature increases, while the solubility of gases decreases as temperature increases.

You can determine the solubility of a solid in water:

  1. Weigh a known mass of a solid.
  2. Measure 10cm3 of water. (The density of water is 1 g/cm3, so 10cm3 = 10 g)
  3. Add the solid to the water and heat until the solid dissolves.
  4. Cool the mixture and record the temperature, in 掳C, at which crystals begin to form. The mass of solid added is the mass of this substance required to saturate 10 g of water at the temperature recorded. Multiplying the mass of the substance by 10 gives the solubility in g/100 g water.
  5. Repeat with different masses of solid.
  6. Plot a graph of the mass of solid in grams per 100 g of water, against the temperature in 掳C.

(Higher tier only)

A solid鈥檚 solubility decreases with decreasing temperature. When a hot, concentrated solution is cooled, some of the solute will be deposited.

Example

Calculate the mass of solid that is deposited if a solution containing 15 g per 100 g of water at 30掳C is cooled to 10掳C.

Solubility of the solid at 30掳C is 15 g / 100 g water, and 10 g / 100 g water at 10掳C.

Mass of solid deposited = 15 鈥 10 = 5 g per 100 g of water

Simple scaling may be required.