Chemistry: Solubility

Dissolving of solutions 

Most ionic compounds dissolve when added to water.....

            -This is due to the intereaction between the ions of the solid and the water molecules

           - The ionic lattice breaks down and the ions are released into the liquid where they fill the                  spaces between the liquid molecules. 

The solute (the ionic compound solid) breaks down into ions when added to the solvent (water) and then fills the gaps between the water molecules 

(As the solid particles dissolve they are too small to see but to prove they have dissolved, you can evaporate the solution--- evaporating away the solvent and leaving the solute behind) 

Sometimes ionic compounds contain water such as Copper (II) sulfate. The water in the compound is referred to as water of crystallisation. When the compound is hydrated it appears as blue, diamond shaped crystals but when the copper (II) sulfate is gently heated the water in the compound evaporates, leaving a  fine white powder, Anhydrous Copper (II) Sulfate (anhydrous meaning no water is present)  

The reaction of Copper (II) sulfate is reversible by adding water to the anhydrous copper sulfate to produce hydrated copper sulfate and this forms the standard laboratory test for the prescence of water as when it is added to anhydrous copper sulfate it will make it turn white to blue. 

Cobalt chloride crystals are similar as they can also be used as a test for the prescence of water with the anhydrous compound turning from blue to pink.

Saturated Solutions

- There will be a limit to the amount of space between the solvent particles into which…