Solubility Curves

1. Qualitative Description of Concentration
   1. A solution can have more or less solute dissolved in the solvent. This can be described in general terms as either unsaturated, saturated, or supersaturated.
      1. Unsaturated: More solute can be dissolved in the solvent.
      2. Saturated: The maximum amount of solute is dissolved in the solvent.
      3. Supersaturated: More solute is dissolved than can normally be dissolved in the solvent
   2. Several factors can affect how well something will dissolve.
      1. Temperature
         1. See the solubility curves of several substances by clicking on the image to the right.
         2. Notice the pattern for most of the substances? What do these substances have in common?
         3. What is different about the one substance listed that doesn't follow the same pattern?
      2. Pressure (only for gasses): The higher the pressure the more gas can be dissolved in the solvent. Think abouut what happens when you reduce the pressure inside a bottle of soda when you open it.
      3. Type of solvent and solute. "Like dissolves like."