PHSC 111 - Introduction to Physical Science

Salts & Solubility

Use a virtual simulation to help you visualize

1) what happens when a substance dissolves, and

2) the differences between highly soluble and slightly soluble salts. To access this activity, please visit: https://phet.colorado.edu/. Search Salts & Solubility. Click Play.

Note that there are three tabs at the top of the screen: Table Salt, Slightly Soluble Salt, and Design a Salt. Click on the Table Salt tab.

Questions:

1. use any reliable source to define the following terms:

a. SOLUTE:

b. SOLVENT:

c. SOLUTION:

2. Shake the salt container once. What happens to sodium chloride (NaCl) when it hits the water?

3. What type of molecular attraction occurs between the salt and water? Circle one: ion-dipole, dipole-dipole, dipole-induced dipole, or induced dipole-induced dipole. (Hint: Consider slides 18-19 of the Week 13 VoiceThread.)

4. What is the approximate maximum amount of NaCl that you can add to the default volume of water in the beaker before salt crystals stop dissolving and settle to the bottom? (Hint: Look for the maximum number of Dissolved ions while Boundions are kept at zero.) This condition is called saturation.

5. what happened to a crystal of NaCl when it hits the water? Circle one

		It floats because it is less dense than water.
		It separates into Na+and Cl-ions.
		It continually moves around due to interactions with water molecules.
		It falls to the bottom because it is more dense than water.

6. Add enough salt so that the total number of sodium and chlorine ions is about 250 (of each). What can you do to dissolve all of that salt?

Click on the Slightly Soluble Salts tab and then on Reset All. You will explore the solubility of different types of salts. Determine the maximum amount of each ion (positive and negative) that can be added to the default volume of water in a beaker before the salt crystals stop dissolving and settle to the bottom. Record your results in the table below. Leave the volume at 1.0 x 10^-16 liters for each trial.

Salt	Maximum Dissolved Cations (Positive Ions)	Maximum Dissolved Anions (Negative Ions)
Strontium Phosphate
Silver Bromide
Thallium (I) Sulfide
Copper (I) Iodide
Silver Arsenate
Mercury (II) Bromide

7. According to your recorded data, which salt is the least soluble? Which one is the most soluble? How do you know?

8. How did you decide which salt was the MOST soluble in theSalts & Solubility? choose one

		The salt with the highest amount of dissolved ions must be the most soluble.
		The salt with cations and anions of equivalent sizes must be the most soluble.
		The salt with the highest amount of bound ions must be the most soluble.
		The salt with the largest anion must be the most soluble.

9. When the saturation point is exceeded and more salt continues to be added, what can you do to dissolve that added salt? Choose one

		Mix the solution with a low-soluble salt.
		Stir the salt solution.
		Mix the solution with a high-soluble salt.
		Add more water to the container.

10. Explain why substances such as salt dissolve in water,but substances like oil do not mix with water.

11. What causes pepper (and other substances)to move quickly away from the point where the finger touched the water surface?

Reference

Please, I couldn't copy a link of the simulation of the activity directly to this place but it can be access by

visiting: https://phet.colorado.edu/.

Search : Salts & Solubility. Click Play.

Note that there are three tabs at the top of the screen: Table Salt, Slightly Soluble Salt, and Design a Salt. Click on the Table Salt tab.