2.2 What is a Solution?

Description

Quick Overview

A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solute dissolved in a solvent, which can exist in various forms including liquids, gases, and solids.

Standard

This section discusses solutions as a type of homogeneous mixture, providing insight into the definitions of solute and solvent, types of solutions, and the characteristics that define a solution. The section also explains the differences between solutions, colloids, and suspensions, emphasizing the stability and uniformity of solutions.

Detailed

What is a Solution?

A solution is defined as a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances. Solutions are found in everyday life, including liquids like lemonade and soda, and also in gases such as air. Each solution consists of at least one solute, which is the substance being dissolved, and one solvent, which is the substance that dissolves the solute. The solvent is usually present in larger amounts. When mixed, the particles are so small (less than 1 nm) that they cannot be seen and do not scatter light, making solutions stable.

Key Points:

  1. Types of Solutions:
  2. Solutions can be found in different states: liquids (e.g., saltwater), gases (e.g., air), and solid solutions (e.g., alloys).
  3. When a solution reaches the point where no more solute can be dissolved at a certain temperature, it is termed a saturated solution.
  4. Concentration of Solutions:
  5. Solutions can be classified based on the concentration of the solute, which can be dilute, concentrated, or saturated.
  6. Differences with Other Mixtures:
  7. Solutions differ from suspensions and colloidal mixtures in particle size and properties. In a suspension, particles are visible and will settle out, while colloidal particles are intermediate in size and may scatter light (known as the Tyndall effect).

Overall, understanding solutions is pivotal for future studies in chemistry, particularly in areas like chemical reactions and material properties.

Key Concepts

  • Homogeneous Mixture: Uniform composition that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

  • Solute and Solvent: Solute is dissolved in a solvent which does the dissolving.

  • Saturated Solution: A point at which no more solute dissolves in the solvent at a given temperature.

  • Comparing Solutions: Distinguish between solutions, suspensions, and colloids based on properties and behavior.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • To make a solution, stir and blend, the solute dissolves, from end to end.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once there was a kingdom where solids and liquids danced together in harmony, mixing and becoming stable solutions that no one could see.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • S-V-S: Soluble, Visible, Solution. Remember that solutions are stable, with particles too small to see.

🎯 Super Acronyms

SAS

  • Solute And Solvent. Always combine the two to make a solution!

Examples

  • Salt dissolved in water (liquid solution).

  • Air is a mixture of gases (gas solution).

  • Brass is an alloy (solid solution).

  • Carbon dioxide in soda water (gas in liquid solution).

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: Solution

    Definition:

    A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.

  • Term: Solute

    Definition:

    The substance that is dissolved in a solution.

  • Term: Solvent

    Definition:

    The substance in which the solute is dissolved.

  • Term: Homogeneous Mixture

    Definition:

    A mixture that has a uniform composition throughout.

  • Term: Suspension

    Definition:

    A heterogeneous mixture in which solute particles settle out over time.

  • Term: Colloid

    Definition:

    A mixture where fine particles are dispersed in a continuous medium.

  • Term: Saturated Solution

    Definition:

    A solution that cannot dissolve any more solute at a given temperature.