SOLUTIONS
A solution is an homogenous mixture of two or more substances. Solutions could be liquid, solid or
gaseous in nature. Although, liquid solution are most common and important to chemist. Such solution
are formed when solute(solid) combine with a solvent (liquid or dissolving medium).
Solute + solvent = solution
2Na(s) + 2H2O = 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)
WATER AS A NIVERSAL SOLVENT
Water is regarded as a universal solvent. This is because water molecule has a polar structure i.e. it
contains a positive charge on one side and negative on the other side. As a result water is an excellent
solvent for electrovalent solutes. Also covalent compounds such as alkanol, sugar and propen-1,2,3,-triol
which dissolve readily in water.
Organic substances dissolve readily in solvents like kerosene, petrol, benzene and turpentine.
Thus, polar substances dissolves in polar solvent and non- polar substances dissolve in non-polar
solvent.
SOLUTE SUITABLE SOLVENT
SODIUM CHLORIDE WATER
CuSO4 WATER
SUGAR WATER
IODINE ETHANOL
NAPHTHALENE ETHANOL
GREASE PETROL
SULPHUR CARBON(IV)SULPHIDE
RUBBER BENZENE
QUICK LIME NONE
PAINT TURPENTINE
TYPES OF SOLUTIONS
Solutions can be classified into two
1. Aqueous solution
2. Chemical solution
When the solution is formed by dissolving a solute in a liquid solvent known as water, such a solution is
aqueous. On the other hand, a chemical solution is formed when a solute dissolves in a solvent resulting
into a chemical reaction. For example, when zinc dissolves in dilute tetraoxosulphate(VI), the zinc
attracts the acid to form zinc tetraoxosulphate(VI) which dissolves in water.
USES OF SOLVENT
1. It is useful in general cleaning of household or office, equipment and furnitures. Petrol is used to
remove stains of wax, grease, fats and oil.
2. In the manufacture of perfumes, aromatic oils are dissolved in ethanol.
3. In laundries and dry cleaners.
(a) Fats, oil and grease are removed by solvents like petrol, kersosene or ammonia solution.
(b) Paints are removed by turpentine.
(c) Coffee or tea stains are removed by a solution of borax in water.
(d) In the laboratory, chlorophyl(II) is extracted by cooling the leaves in ethanol.
4. Turtentine is used to mix waterproof paints for the painting of walls.
5. The valcanizer solution is prepared by dissolving rubber and other substances in benezene.
SUSPENSION
Heterogenous mixture of dissolved particles in a given medium is known as suspension.
A solid is said to be suspended in a liquid, when small particles of it are contained in the liquid, but
are not dissolved in it.
The particles are large enough to be seen without the aid of an instrument and they settle at the
bottom of the vessel.
In a suspension, the liquid solvent is known as dispersion medium, and the solid particles is the
dispersed substance.
COLLOIDS
A colloidal or false solution is an intermediate solution between a true solution and suspension. In
colloidal solutions, the individual solute particles are larger than the particles of the solution but not
large enough to be seen by the naked eye. The dipersion medium and dispersed substance can be
solid, liquid or a gas.
EXAMPLES OF COLLIODS
(i) Fog i.e. liquid in gas.
(ii) Smoke i.e. solid in gas
(iii) Foam or lather i.e. gas in liquid
(iv) Emulsion i.e. liquid in liquid (milk, hair cream)
(v) Sols i.e. solid in liquid (starch, glue, clay)
DIFFERENCES AMONG SOLUTIONS, SUSPENSIONS AND COLLIODS
The particles of a solute in solution in solution will not settle down on standing and cannot be
separated by filtration. The particles of a substance in suspension are much larger, they settle down
on standing and may be separated by filtration. In between solutions and suspension is the colloids.
The particles are too small to be separated by filtration and do not settle down easily on standing;
but are not small enough to be classified as a true solution.
Also, the solute of true solutions can diffuse through a semipermeable membrane (i.e can be
dialyzed) and do not scatter light rays .The solute of colloidal solutions cannot be dialyzed and do
scatter light rays (i.e. they exhibit Tyndall effect.)
EXPERIMENT TO SHOW THAT FALSE SOLUTIONS SCATTER LIGHT
Theory: Colloidal particles, unlike the particles of true solutions, are large enough to block the path
of light rays and scatter them. This scattering of light by colloidal solution is known as the Tydnall
effect.
Method: place a true solution (sodium chloride or copper (ii)tetraoxosulphate(VI) solution) and a
colloidal solution (Starch or albumen) in separate beakers in a dark room. Hone a a beam of light
from a torch into each solution.
Result: the light beam can clearly be seen in the beaker containing the false solution, but not in the
beaker containing the true solution.
Conclusion: only false solutions can scatter light rays i.e. exhibit the Tyndall effect.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRUE AND FALSE SOLUTIONS
TRUE SOLUTION FALSE SOLUTION
[Link] solute can pass through the filter paper The solute cannot pass through the filter paper.
2.T solution can be dialyzed i.e. the solute can The solution cannot be dialyzed i.e. the solute
diffuse through a semi-permeable membrane. cannot diffuse through a semi-permeable
membrane.
[Link] solutes do not scatter light ray. The solutes can scatter light ray. i.e. they
exhibit Tyndall effect.
Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by a colloidal solution. Thus, colloidal particles are large
enough to block the path of light rays and scatter them. But true solution do not scatter light rays .
they are not large enough to block and result to the scattering effect.