Experiment No.

7
FACTORS AFFECTING SOLUBILITY

I. OBJECTIVE

To observe how the nature of solute and solvent, concentration of reactants,

temperature and pressure affect solubility.

II. DISCUSSION

In general, the nature of dissolving has something to do with the structures of the
substances involved. For instance, water due to its high degree of polarity is well known for
its strong solvent property. It has the ability to attach itself to a large number of other polar
molecules and ions. The fact that water and oil do not mix makes it clear that oil molecules
are not polar.
The amount of solute which will form a saturated solution in a given amount of
solvent at a specified temperature is called the solubility of the solute in the solvent. The
solute may be soluble, slightly soluble or insoluble depending on the amount of it that will
dissolve to form a saturated solution.

Soluble = solubility of more that 0.1 mole solute per liter of solvent

Slightly soluble = solubility is below 0.1 mole solute per liter of solvent

Insoluble = solubility is below 0.001 mole solute per liter of solvent

The factors that affect solubility are the nature of the solute and solvent,
concentration of reactant, temperature and pressure.

III. MATERIALS/APPARATUS

Water, benzene, sodium chloride, sugar, naphthalene, oil, calcium carbonate, benzoic
acid, gasoline, ammonium hydroxide, carbonated soft drink, potassium chlorate, test
tubes, test tube rack, rubber tubing, medicine dropper, beaker, tripod, wire gauze,
platform balance, thermomether

IV. PROCEDURE

A. Nature of Solute and Solvent

Water is a polar solvent. It has a strong solvent action on ionic and polar
compounds, but it does not dissolve non-polar compounds. Non-polar solvents such as
benzene and carbon tetrachloride, on the other hand, have little solvent action on ionic
compounds, but readily dissolves non-polar compounds.
 Test the solubility of one gram (for solid) or 1 mL (for liquid) of the following
compounds in 5 mL each of water and benzene: sodium chloride, sugar, naphthalene, oil,
calcium carbonate, benzoic acid and gasoline. Tabulate your observations.

B. Solubility of Gas in Liquid

1. Add about 2 mL of dilute NH4OH (NH3 water) to a test tube. Cautiously smell the
solution. Heat the solution until half of the volume remans. Smell again. Heat again
the test tube until the volume decreases to one half. Smell once more.

2. Open a bottled of carbonated softdrink. Why is there a sudden effervescene?

Transfer about 30mL of it to a beaker. Allow the effervescene to subside, and heat
gently with a Bunsen flame. Account for the observations.

C. Solubility of Solids in Liquids

Measure exactly 5.0 mL of water into a large tube. Weigh exactly 3.0 grams of
potassium chlorate in a beam balance. Add this to the test tube. Heat the test tube carefully(do
not boil) until all the crystals dissolve. Insert a thermomether in the tube and allow the solution
to cool. As soon as the solids start to crystallize, record the temperature.
Repeat the experiment using 2.5 grams, 2.0 grams, 1.5 grams of potassium chlorate
respectively. Recalculate the solubility (for each temperature) in grams of potassium chlorate
per 100 grams of water.
Plot the solubility ( grams of potassium chlorate per 100 grams of water) of
potassium chlorate againts the temperature. Make the temperature as your abscissa. Describe
the trend of the curve and from this decide whether the solution is exothermic or endothermic.
 V. DATA AND RESULTS; CONCLUSION

Experiment No. 7
FACTORS AFFECTING SOLUBILITY

Name: _____________________________________________ Group No: ______________

Section: __________________________________ Date: ____________________________

A. Nature of Solute and Solvent

Polar Molecule:

Non-polar Molecule:

SOLUTE SOLUBILITY IN SOLUBILITY IN

WATER BENZENE
Sodium chloride
Sugar
Naphthalene
Oil
CaCO3
Benzoic Acid

Polar solutes are:

Reason:

Non-polar solutes are:

Reason:
 General statement correlating solubility to the nature of solute and solvent.

B. Solubility of Gas in Liquid

I. Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH)

1. What is the odor of dilute NH4OH ?

2. What happens to the odor when you heat dilute NH4OH ?

3. How does an increase in temperature affect the solubility of NH3 in water?

4. Does the same principle apply to all gases? Explain

II. Carbonated Soft drink

1. What happens when you open a bottle of carbonated soft drink?

2. Why is there a sudden effervescene?

3. What happens when you heat the carbonated soft drink in the beaker?

4. What two factors affecting the solubility of gases in liquids are illustrated in this
experiment?

5. How do you account for the further evolution of carbon dioxide when the soft drink
is heated?

6. What is the effect of pressure on the solubility of gas in a liquid?

7. What is the effect of temperature on the solubility of a gas in a liquid?

C. Solubility of Solids in Liquids

g KClO3 g H2O g KClO3 per 100g H2O Temperature when
crystallization starts
3.0 g 5g
2.5 g 5g
2.0 g 5g
1.5 g 5g
Calculation:

Describe the trend of the curve.

Is the dissolution process exothermic or endothermic.

OBSERVATION:

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CONCLUSION:
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VI. PROBLEMS

1. A solution of phosphoric acid was made by dissolving 10 grams of H3PO4 in 100 mL

of water. The resulting volume was 104 mL. Calculate the solution : a) density b) mole
fraction c) Molarity d) Molality e) Normality

2. A 2.5 N solution of HCl has a density of 1.058 g/mL. What is the molarity and molality
of this solution.

3. What is the molarity if a solution that is 5% Pb(NO3)2 by weight? The density is 1.05
g/mL.

4. What volume of 6 N H3PO4 must be taken and how much water must be added to
prepare 100 mL of a 0.5 N acid?

5. What weight of HCl is present in 30mL of hydrochloric acid and specific gravity 1.19
and containing 37.5 % by weight of HCl?