Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface to first edition
- Preface to second edition
- 1 Chemical equilibrium
- 2 Chemical thermodynamics
- 3 Chemical kinetics
- 4 Solution chemistry and aqueous equilibria
- 5 Acids and bases
- 6 Oxidation–reduction reactions
- 7 Photochemistry
- Appendix I International system of units (SI)
- Appendix II Some useful numerical values
- Appendix III Atomic weights
- Appendix IV Equilibrium (or dissociation) constants for some chemical reactions
- Appendix V Some molar standard Gibbs free energies of formation, molar standard enthalpies (or heats) of formation, and molar absolute entropies at 25°C and 1 atmosphere
- Appendix VI Names, formulas, and charges of some common ions
- Appendix VII Answers to exercises and hints and solutions to selected exercises
- Index
4 - Solution chemistry and aqueous equilibria
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface to first edition
- Preface to second edition
- 1 Chemical equilibrium
- 2 Chemical thermodynamics
- 3 Chemical kinetics
- 4 Solution chemistry and aqueous equilibria
- 5 Acids and bases
- 6 Oxidation–reduction reactions
- 7 Photochemistry
- Appendix I International system of units (SI)
- Appendix II Some useful numerical values
- Appendix III Atomic weights
- Appendix IV Equilibrium (or dissociation) constants for some chemical reactions
- Appendix V Some molar standard Gibbs free energies of formation, molar standard enthalpies (or heats) of formation, and molar absolute entropies at 25°C and 1 atmosphere
- Appendix VI Names, formulas, and charges of some common ions
- Appendix VII Answers to exercises and hints and solutions to selected exercises
- Index
Summary
Definitions and types of solutions
A solution is a homogeneous mixture of substances. For example, when salt dissolves in water, a homogeneous mixture, or solution, forms. The component of a mixture that is present in the greatest quantity or that determines the state of matter (solid, liquid, or gas) of the solution is called the solvent. The other component(s) is (are) called the solute(s). If water is the solvent, the solution is said to be aqueous (abbreviation: aq). If the quantity of solute is relatively large, the solution is said to be concentrated; if it is relatively small, the solution is dilute. Although we generally think of solutions as being liquids, they may also be gases or solids: Air is a gaseous solution; alloys (e.g., steel) are solid solutions.
As the amount of solid solute dissolved in a liquid solvent increases, the reverse process, namely, the crystallization or precipitation of the solute from the solvent, becomes increasingly important. When the solute dissolves and precipitates at the same rate, the amount of solute in the solution will remain constant. The solution is then said to be saturated, and the amount of solute present in a given quantity of the saturated solution is called the solubility of the solute in the solvent. If a solution is below its solubility limit, it is said to be unsaturated; if it is above the solubility limit, it is said to be supersaturated.
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- Basic Physical Chemistry for the Atmospheric Sciences , pp. 68 - 82Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2000