5 Solutions and Concentration Free Online FlashCards

What is a solution?

A homogeneous mixture whose components are evenly distributed at the molecular or ionic level.

What is the solvent?

The component of a solution that dissolves the other components.

What does “like dissolves like” mean?

Polar substances tend to dissolve in polar solvents, and nonpolar substances tend to dissolve in nonpolar solvents.

What does concentration describe?

Concentration describes how much solute is present in a given amount of solution. “Dilute” and “concentrated” are comparisons unless a unit is specified.

How is mass concentration defined?

Mass concentration is the mass of solute per volume of solution, often expressed in grams per liter (g/L).

How is molarity calculated?

Molarity is the moles of solute per liter of solution: $M = \frac{\text{moles of solute}}{\text{liters of solution}}$.

What is solubility?

Solubility is the maximum concentration of a substance that can dissolve in a particular solvent under specified conditions, such as temperature and pressure.

How do unsaturated and saturated solutions differ?

An unsaturated solution contains less than the solubility limit; a saturated solution contains as much dissolved solute as it can hold at equilibrium under those conditions.

How does rising temperature usually affect solid solubility in water?

For most solid solutes in water, solubility increases as temperature rises, though exceptions exist.

How does pressure affect a gas dissolved in a liquid?

At constant temperature, increasing a gas’s pressure above a liquid generally increases how much of that gas dissolves.

Do stirring and crushing usually change solubility or dissolving speed?

Stirring and crushing a solid into smaller pieces can speed up dissolving, but usually do not change the maximum amount that dissolves at equilibrium.

What is a solute?

A substance dissolved in a solvent. A solution can contain more than one solute.