Solubility.

The result of the solubility of Copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate when it is

mixed with distilled water; cyclohexene and ethanol are the following:

Table __. Solubility of 1g of Copper (II) Sulfate in Distilled Water, Ethanol and Cyclohexene
Distilled Water Ethanol Cyclohexene
Soluble but with a lot of residues Insoluble Insoluble

From the table above, it was observed that water is soluble to Copper (II) sulfate
pentahydrate but there were a lot of residues at the bottom part of the test tube and it was
observed that the water took the color of the compound which is blue. So it was noted that 1 ml
of distilled water cannot dissolve all 1 gram of copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate. While for the 1
gram of the compound placed in 1 milliliter of ethanol and in 1 milliliter of cyclohexane, the
compound did not dissolve and the liquid did not change in color, maintaining its clear form,
making it insoluble in ethanol as well as in cyclohexane.

Figure 1,2 &3:

Solubility of 1g of Copper (II) Sulfate in Distilled Water, Ethanol and Cyclohexane

Copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate has a water solubility of greater than or equal to 100
mg/mL or 0.1g/mL and insoluble in ethanol and cyclohexane (National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, n.d.). Water is a polar solvent and is considered to be effectively
responsible in dissolving other polar molecules such as sugars and ionic compounds such as
salts. (Solvent properties, 2015; Sandbox Networks, 2017). With the definitions stated
beforehand, the compound was dissolved because water is considered to be a universal solvent
and can dissolve substances that are polar and ionic in nature. With it being dissolved, it entails
that the compound is polar or an ionic compound.
 A polar solvent is one where the molecules that make up the solvent have a charge that
is unequally distributed in the molecule. In the case of water, the oxygen atoms have a partial
negative charge and the hydrogen atoms have a partial positive charge.

Copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate is soluble in water primarily because the water is a
polar solvent. Knowing that the compound is ionic in nature, when it is combined with water, it
will dissociates into positively charged copper ions and negatively charged sulfate ions. In
addition, the polarity of the water will result into the attraction of positive ions to the oxygen
atoms of water having a partially negative charge and the sulfate ions attracted to hydrogen
atoms of water that have partial negative charge. So with that being said, water being a polar
solvent can dissolve ionic salts like Copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate (Enotes, 2011).

Ethanol is a polar solvent that can dissolve polar and non-polar substances but is less
polar than water (Ethanol as a solvent, n.d.). Cyclohexane is a nonpolar solvent and a volatile
inorganic solvent which can be good solvent for substances that have weak solute interactions
(Solvent properties, 2015; ChEBi, 2016). Copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate does not dissolve in
both ethanol and cyclohexane due to the reason that these substances do not have the ability to
hydrate copper and sulfate ions and also copper is insoluble in ethanol that has no impurities
(Trader China, 2009; Essays UK, 2018). Given that cyclohexane is an organic solvent, it was
stated that Copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate is practically insoluble in most organic solvents
(Toxnet, n.d.).

Reference:

ChEBi. (2016). Cyclohexane. Retrieved from hhtp://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchld.do?

chebld=CHEBI:29005

Enotes. (2011). Why can copper sulfate dissolve in water easily?. Retrieved from
hhtps://www.enotes.com/homework-help/why-can-copper-2-sulfate-dissolved-water-
264071

Essays UK. (2018). Mixing liquids and solids. Retrieved from

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/chemistry/mixing-liquids-and-solids.php?vrf=1

Toxnet. (n.d.). Copper(II) Sulfate, Pentahydrate. Retrieved from https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-

bin/sis/search/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@rn+@rel+7758-99-8