CHEM 101 SOLUBILITY AND
TEMPERATURE Gizmo Miguel Ortega
Solubility and Temperature
Vocabulary: concentration, dissolve, homogeneous mixture, solubility, solubility curve, solute,
solution, solvent
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What happens when you stir a spoonful of sugar into hot water?
The sugar dissolves into the water.
2. When sugar or another substance is dissolved in water, it disappears from view and forms
a homogeneous mixture with the water, also called a solution.
If you can’t see the sugar, how can you tell that it is there?
The water tastes sweet and may appear slightly cloudy.
3. Does sugar dissolve more easily in hot water or cold water? Hot water
Gizmo Warm-up
A solution generally consists of two parts, a solute that
is dissolved and a solvent that the solute is dissolved
into. For example, sugar is a solute that is dissolved into
the solvent water. In the Solubility and Temperature
Gizmo™, you will study how temperature affects how
much solute will dissolve in a solution.
To begin, check that Potassium nitrate is selected and
the Temp. of the water is 20 °C. Click OK.
1. In this solution, what is the solute? Potassium nitrate What is the solvent? Water
2. Click Add 10 g to mix 10 g of potassium nitrate into the water.
A. Did all of the potassium nitrate dissolve? Yes
B. How can you tell?
All of the potassium nitrate disappeared as it was stirred into the water.
, Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● Click Reset.
Solubility ● Check that the Temp. is 20 °C and that Potassium
nitrate is selected.
Question: How do we find how much solute can be dissolved in a solvent?
1. Observe: Click OK. Click Add 20 g, and observe the potassium nitrate being mixed into the
solution. On the right, select the BAR CHART tab and turn on Show numerical value. The
bars show how much solute has been added and how much has piled up on the bottom.
Did all of the solute dissolve? Yes
2. Calculate: The concentration of a solution is equal to the mass of solute divided by the
volume of solvent. Units of concentration are grams per 100 milliliters (g/100 mL, or g/dL).
What is the concentration of this solution? 20 g/100 mL (or 20 g/dL)
3. Experiment: Click Add 20 g again.
A. Did all of the solute dissolve? Explain how you can tell.
No, some of the solute piled up on the bottom of the container.
B. Based on the amount of solute added and the amount piled up on the bottom, how
many grams of solute dissolved in the water? 30.65 grams of solute have dissolved.
C. The solubility of the solution is equal to the maximum concentration of the solute.
What is the solubility of potassium nitrate in 20 °C water? 30.65 g/100 mL
4. Experiment: Click Reset, and select Sodium chloride. With the Temp. still set to 20 °C,
click OK. Add sodium chloride to the beaker until it starts piling up at the bottom.
A. How much sodium chloride did you add? 15.43 grams
B. How much sodium chloride piled up at the bottom? 11.23 grams
C. How much sodium chloride dissolved in the water? 36.66 grams
D. What is the solubility of sodium chloride in 20 °C water? 36.66 g/100 mL
TEMPERATURE Gizmo Miguel Ortega
Solubility and Temperature
Vocabulary: concentration, dissolve, homogeneous mixture, solubility, solubility curve, solute,
solution, solvent
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What happens when you stir a spoonful of sugar into hot water?
The sugar dissolves into the water.
2. When sugar or another substance is dissolved in water, it disappears from view and forms
a homogeneous mixture with the water, also called a solution.
If you can’t see the sugar, how can you tell that it is there?
The water tastes sweet and may appear slightly cloudy.
3. Does sugar dissolve more easily in hot water or cold water? Hot water
Gizmo Warm-up
A solution generally consists of two parts, a solute that
is dissolved and a solvent that the solute is dissolved
into. For example, sugar is a solute that is dissolved into
the solvent water. In the Solubility and Temperature
Gizmo™, you will study how temperature affects how
much solute will dissolve in a solution.
To begin, check that Potassium nitrate is selected and
the Temp. of the water is 20 °C. Click OK.
1. In this solution, what is the solute? Potassium nitrate What is the solvent? Water
2. Click Add 10 g to mix 10 g of potassium nitrate into the water.
A. Did all of the potassium nitrate dissolve? Yes
B. How can you tell?
All of the potassium nitrate disappeared as it was stirred into the water.
, Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● Click Reset.
Solubility ● Check that the Temp. is 20 °C and that Potassium
nitrate is selected.
Question: How do we find how much solute can be dissolved in a solvent?
1. Observe: Click OK. Click Add 20 g, and observe the potassium nitrate being mixed into the
solution. On the right, select the BAR CHART tab and turn on Show numerical value. The
bars show how much solute has been added and how much has piled up on the bottom.
Did all of the solute dissolve? Yes
2. Calculate: The concentration of a solution is equal to the mass of solute divided by the
volume of solvent. Units of concentration are grams per 100 milliliters (g/100 mL, or g/dL).
What is the concentration of this solution? 20 g/100 mL (or 20 g/dL)
3. Experiment: Click Add 20 g again.
A. Did all of the solute dissolve? Explain how you can tell.
No, some of the solute piled up on the bottom of the container.
B. Based on the amount of solute added and the amount piled up on the bottom, how
many grams of solute dissolved in the water? 30.65 grams of solute have dissolved.
C. The solubility of the solution is equal to the maximum concentration of the solute.
What is the solubility of potassium nitrate in 20 °C water? 30.65 g/100 mL
4. Experiment: Click Reset, and select Sodium chloride. With the Temp. still set to 20 °C,
click OK. Add sodium chloride to the beaker until it starts piling up at the bottom.
A. How much sodium chloride did you add? 15.43 grams
B. How much sodium chloride piled up at the bottom? 11.23 grams
C. How much sodium chloride dissolved in the water? 36.66 grams
D. What is the solubility of sodium chloride in 20 °C water? 36.66 g/100 mL
