Solutions: Vocabulary
Mixture
A combination of two or more substances that do not react
with each other.
Soluble
Capable of being dissolved.
Solvent
The dissolving medium in a solution. (Or, what there is
most of.)
Solute
The substance dissolved in a solution. (Or, what there is
Solution
A homogenous mixture of two or more substances in a
single phase. (particle size <1nm)
Suspension
When the particles of the solute are so large (>1000 nm)
that they settle out unless the mixture is constantly
stirred or agitated.
Colloid
Particles larger than those in solutions and less than those
in suspensions. (>1 and <1000 nm)
Tyndall Effect
The scattering of light by colloidal particles in a
transparent medium.
Brownian Motion
The random motion of particles in a fluid resulting from
collisions with quicker molecules.
Electrolyte
A substance that dissolves in water to give a solution that
conducts electric current.
Nonelectrolyte
A substance that dissolves in water but does not conduct
less of.)
electric current.
Dissolution
When a solid in a liquid mixture becomes a liquid.
Crystallization
When a substance in liquid form in a mixture becomes a
solid.
Solution equilibrium
The physical state in which the opposing processes of
dissolution and crystallization occur at equal rates.
Unsaturated solution
A solution that contains less solute at existing conditions
than a saturated solution does.
Saturated solution
A solution that contains the maximum amount of dissolved
solute.
Supersaturated solution
A solution that contains more solute at existing conditions
than a saturated solution does.
Solubility
The amount of that substance required to form a
saturated solution with a specified amount of solvent at a
specified temperature.
Hydration (hydrated)
When a solute is dissolved in water and becomes
surrounded by water molecules.
Solvated
When a solute is dissolved in something other than water
and becomes surrounded by solvent molecules.
Immiscible
Liquids that are not soluble with each other.
Miscible
Liquids that dissolve freely with each other.
Henry’s Law
The solubility of a gas in liquid is directly proportional to
the partial pressure of that gas on the surface of the
liquid.
Effervescence
The rapid escape of gas from a liquid in which it is
dissolved.
Enthalpy of solution
The net amount of energy absorbed as heat by the solution
when a specific amount of solute dissolves in a solute.
Concentration
The amount of solute in a given amount of solvent or
solution.
Molarity (M)
A measure of the concentration of a solution by the
number of moles of solute in a liter of solution.
M = moles / Liter (moles solute per volume of solution)
Molality (m)
A measure of the concentration of a solution expressed in
moles of solvent per kilogram of solvent.
m = moles / kg solvent (moles solute per mass of solvent.)