Investigating the factors that affect the rate of dissolving

A) The size of the solute particles

 Problem statement
- Does the size of the solute particles affect the rate of dissolving?

 Hypothesis
- The finer the solute particles, the greater the rate of dissolving.

 Variables
(a) Manipulated : The size of the solute particles
(b) Responding : The rate of dissolving the solute
(c) Controlled : The temperature of the solvent, The rate of
stirring the solvent and the mass of the solute.

A B

50mℓ water
----------
---------
---------- ---------
--------- --------
---------- ---------
--------- --------
--------- ---------

(a) coarse salt (10g) (b) fine salt (10g)

 Procedure
1) Beakers A and B are each filled with 50mℓ of water.
2) 10g of coarse salt is added to beaker A. 10g of fine salt is added to beaker B.
3) The contents in both beakers are stirred at the same rate. The salt in both
beakers is observed.

 Observation
- The fine salt in beaker B dissolves first.
  Discussion
1) Coarse salt has a smaller surface area than salt which is ground into powder.
2) A substance with a larger surface area dissolves faster than a substance with
a smaller surface area.
3) This is because the fine solute particles have a larger surface area that comes
into contact with the solvent particles.

 Conclusion
The finer the solute particles, the higher the rate of dissolving.

B) The rate of stirring the solvent

 Problem statement
- Does the rate of stirring the solvent affect the rate of dissolving?

 Hypothesis
- Stirring increases the rate of dissolving the solute in the solvent.

 Variables
(a) Manipulated : The rate of stirring the solvent
(b) Responding : The rate of dissolving the solute
(c) Controlled : The volume of the solvent, The temperature of the solvent,
The size of the solute particles and The mass of the solute
Particles

the water is glass rod the water is

stirred 50 mℓ water at not stirred
room temperature

---------- ----------
--------- ---------
---------- ----------
--------- ---------
---------- ----------
-------- --------
C Fine salt(10g) D
  Procedure
1) Beakers C and D are each filled with 50 mℓ of water.
2) 10g of fine salt is added to each beaker.
3) The mixture in beaker C is stirred quickly. The mixture in beaker D is not
stirred.
4) the salt solution in both beakers is observed.

 Observation
- The fine salt in beaker C dissolves first.

 Discussion
1) Stirring the contents of beaker C makes the solvent particles move faster.
2) The frequency of collisions between the solute particles and the solvent
particles is increased by stirring.
3) Therefore, the solute particles enter the space between the solvent particles
more easily.

 Conclusion
- Stirring increases the rate of dissolving the solute.

C) The temperature of the solvent

 Problem statement
- How does the temperature of the solvent affect the rate of dissolving the solute?

 Hypothesis
- The higher the temperature of the solvent, the higher the rate of dissolving the
solute.
 Variables
(a) Manipulated : The temperature of the solvent
(b) Responding : The rate of dissolving the solute
(c) Controlled : The volume of the solvent, The size of the solute particles,
The rate of stirring the solvent and the mass of the solute.

the water is the water is

heated 50 mℓ water not heated

---------- ----------
--------- ---------
---------- ----------
--------- ---------
---------- ----------
-------- --------
E Fine salt(10g) F

 Procedure
1) Beakers E and F are each filled with 50mℓ of water.
2) The water in beaker E is heated with a Bunsen burner. The water in beaker F
is not heated.
3) 10g of fine salt is added to each beaker.
4) The salt in both beakers is observed.

 Observation
- The fine salt in beaker E dissolves first.

 Discussion
1) The hot water supplies extra energy to the dissolved solute particles. The
dissolved solute particles separate and move more quickly in the hot solvent.
2) Thus, more solute particles dissolve quickly in the hot solvent.

 Conclusion
The higher the temperature of the solvent, the greater the rate of dissolving the
solute.
D) The volume of the solvent
 Problem statement
- How does the volume of the solvent affect the rate of dissolving the solute?

 Hypothesis
- The higher the volume of the solvent, the higher the rate of dissolving the solute.

 Variables
(a) Manipulated : The volume of the solvent
(b) Responding : The rate of dissolving the solute
(c) Controlled : The temperature of the solvent, The size of the solute
particles,The rate of stirring the solvent and the mass of the
solute.

50mℓ water
----------
---------
---------- 25mℓ water
---------
---------- ---------
--------- --------
--------- ---------
G fine salt (10g) H

 Procedure
1) The beakers G is filled with 50mℓ of water and beaker H is filled with 25mℓ of
water.
2) 10g of fine salt is added to each beaker.
3) The contents in both beakers are stirred at the same rate.
4) The salt solution in both beakers is observed.
 Observation
- The fine salt in beaker G dissolves first.

 Discussion
 1) The larger volume of the solvent contains more empty spaces.
2) This allows more solute particles to distribute quickly and dissolve in the
solvent.

 Conclusion
The larger the volume of the solvent, the greater the rate of dissolving the solute.