FACTORS AFFECTING SOLUBIULITY

Amethyst Montilla
Lorentzen Montoya
Kim Panem
Merou Panizales
Christine Dyan Rioja

De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
Dasmariñas, Cavite Philippines

ABSTRACT

The experiment explains how external factors affect the solubility of a certain substance.
Solubility simply means the amount of solute dissolved in a solvent. The solubility of a
solid in a liquid is most affected by temperature, the higher the temperature the higher the
rate of solubility. Potassium chloride and sodium chloride was ignited at a temperature of
10ºC and 80º C and was left at a room temperature. As the temperature increases, the rate
of solubility of the substances increased too.

INTRODUCTION

The amount of solute that can be dissolved in a given amount of solvent to form a
saturated solution at a specified temperature is called the solubility of the substance. The
extent to which the solute dissolves is affected by the nature of solute and solvent,
temperature, and pressure.

When the molecules of the solute are similar in structure and electrical properties
with the solvent, solubility will be high. For instance, polar solvents like water can
readily dissolve polar and ionic solutes but they cannot dissolve non-polar solutes. On the
other hand, non-polar solvents like carbon tetrachloride have strong dissolving action on
non-polar solutes.

In most cases, the solubility of solids in liquid increases with increasing

temperature; some solutes become less soluble at higher temperature, the temperature
effect depends on the heat of solution of the solute. On the other hand, for gases,
solubility decreases as temperature increases.

The solubility of solids and liquids is practically not affected by pressure

compared to gases, provided there is no chemical reaction between the gas and the
solvent. The solubility of gases in liquids is governed by Henry’s law. It states that, “The
amount of gas that would be dissolved in a given amount of solvent liquid would be
directly proportional to the pressure of the gas above the solution at a given temperature”.

MATERIAL AND METHOIDS

A. Effect of temperature on solubility of a solid in water

1 g of KCL was added into 10 ml water in an ignition tube at 10ºC. It was

shook and the solubility was observed. The solution was then gently heated to
40ºC. It was stirred and the solubility was observed. Another gram of KCL
was added to the mixture, it was again stirred and the solubility was observed.
The mixture was heated to 80ºC in a water bath. It was shook and the
solubility was observed. The procedure was then again repeated using another
reagent which is NaCl.

B. Effect of the polarity of the solute and solvent

The solubility of 1 g or 1 mL of the following solutes namely potassium

nitrate, sodium chloride, coconut oil, toluene, and copper sulfate were
determined in 1 mL water, 1 mL isopropyl alcohol, and 1 mL (1:1 V/V water :
isopropyl alcohol mixture). The results obtained were then tabulated.

C. Influence of another substance

A pinch of Iodine crystal was shook in 10 mL water. Then a pinch of

potassium iodide crystals were added; the mixture was shook. The effect of
potassium iodide on the solubility of iodine in water was then observed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

As we expose Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride to different kinds of

temperature, which was 10ºC, room temperature, and 80ºC, they quickly demonstrated
how temperature affects the solubility of a substance. The table below shows the
complete data/result of the experiment.

TABLE 1. EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON SOLUBILITY OF A SOLID IN WATER

SOLIDS SOLUBILITY IN WATER

At 10ºC At room At 80ºC
temperature
Potassium Chloride Soluble Soluble Soluble
Sodium Chloride Soluble Soluble Soluble
 A substance tends to dissolve in a solvent which is chemically related in
composition to the substance. In this experiment, the solubility of different kinds of
solute was determined in different kinds of solvents. As the solutes were tried to
dissolved in the solvents, the quickly exhibit the rule “like dissolves like”. The table
below shows the complete data/results.

TABLE 2. EFFECT OF THE POLARITY OF THE SOLUTE AND THE SOLVENT

SOLUTE SOLVENTS
Water Isopropyl Alcohol 1:1 (V/V) water :
isopropyl alcohol
Potassium nitrate Insoluble Insoluble Insoluble
Sodium chloride Insoluble Insoluble Insoluble
Toluene Immiscible Immiscible Immiscible
Coconut oil Immiscible Immiscible Immiscible
Copper sulfate Soluble Insoluble Insoluble

Other substances too can affect to the solubility of a substance. In this part of the
experiment, Iodine in H2O and KI was added to Iodine in H2O to make it soluble. The
table below shows the complete data/results.

TABLE 3. INFLUENCE OF ANOTHER SUBSTANCE

Solubility
Iodine in H2O Soluble
Iodine in H2O and KI Soluble

REFERENCES

(1) Samonte, J.L.; Figueroa, L.V. General Chemistry Laboratory Manual 3rd edition.
(2) Lontok, B.M.; Montessa D.V. A Laboratory Manual in General Chemistry 3rd edition.