Solutions and Concentration

A homogenous mixture or two or more substances is usually known as a solution. The solution consists
of a solute, the substance that dissolves, and the solvent, the substance in which the solute dissolves.
Normally, the substance present in the larger amount is considered the solvent.
A solution is unsaturated when some more solute will dissolve in it while it is saturated when no more
solute will dissolve. The solubility of a solute is the quantity that will dissolve in a given amount of solvent
to produce a saturated solution at a given temperature. If the solution contains more solute than it would
if the dissolved solute were in equilibrium with the undissolved solute, it is supersaturated solution.
This activity uses the Concentration simulation at PhET Interactive Simulations at University of
Colorado Boulder, under the CC-BY 4.0 license.

PRE-LAB QUESTIONS:
1. If you add more solute while keeping the volume of the solvent constant, how will the
concentration of the solution be affected?
2. Do you think the concentration will change when the solution becomes saturated and still you
add more solute?
3. How will the concentration change when you keep the amount of solute constant but you a) add
more solvent, b) pour some of the solution out so that the volume decreases by half its original volume
(ex. from 10 mL to 5 mL), c) let the solution stand in a corner and let it evaporate?
4. What happens to the solute as the solution evaporates?

OBJECTIVES:
1) Compare and describe saturated and unsaturated solutions at the particle-level, and in terms of
macroscopic observations.
2) Explain how and whether changes in solute amount and changes in volume affect the
concentration of unsaturated and saturated solutions.
3) Describe the relationships between volume and amount of solute to solution concentration.
4) Predict how solution concentration will change for any action (or combination of actions) that
adds or removes water, solute, and explain why.

PROCEDURE:
1. Go to https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/concentration/latest/concentration_en.html for
the Concentration simulation. Figure 1 shows the default front screen with legend.
LEGEND:
1: Top Faucet
2: Solute Sprinkler or
Solute Dropper
3: Solute Options
(choose a variety of
Solid or Liquid
Solutes/Solutions)
4: Beaker with water
5: Concentration
Reading
6: Concentration probe
7: Bottom Faucet
8: Evaporation Lever
9: Remove Solute
10: Reset
I. Concentration of Unsaturated vs. Saturated Solutions

NOTE: Click Reset if you want to start a new experiment.

1. Drag the probe to the bottom of the beaker with 1/2 L water. The concentration reading should
be 0.000 mol/L.
2. Choose a solid solute from the Solute Options.
3. Shake the Solute Sprinkler once to the beaker. Observe and record the changes. The mass of the
solute is not necessary.
4. Shake the Solute Sprinkler once more and record the new concentration.
5. Shake the Solute Sprinkler several times until the word “Saturated!” appears at the bottom of the
beaker. Record the concentration.
6. After reaching the saturation point, add more solute to the solution. Record the concentration.
7. Repeat the whole procedure using a Liquid solute (NOTE: For the Liquid solute: Before dropping
any liquid to the water, determine its concentration by dragging the probe to the tip of the dropper.
Press the dropper once and record the concentration. This is now Step 3 of this procedure. Continue
the rest of the procedure.)

SOLID SOLUTE
Concentration of solvent with 0 g
solute
Concentration after 1 sprinkle
(mol/L)
Concentration after 2 sprinkles
(mol/L)
Concentration upon reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)
Concentration after reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)

LIQUID SOLUTE
Concentration =
Concentration of solvent with 0 mL
solute
Concentration after 1 drop (mol/L)

Concentration after 2 1 drops

(mol/L)
Concentration upon reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)
Concentration after reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)

II. Concentration of Unsaturated Solutions

NOTE: You may or may not use the same solutes you used previously.

1. Drag the probe to the bottom of the beaker with 1/2 L water. The concentration reading should
be 0.000 mol/L.
 2. Choose a solid solute from the Solute Options.
3. Shake the Solute Sprinkler thrice to the beaker. The mass of the solute is not necessary. Record
the concentration.
4. Click the blue knob of the Top Faucet and add water up to approximately 3/4 L. Record the
concentration.
5. Add more water until it reaches 1 L. Record the concentration.
6. Open the Bottom Faucet and drain out the solution until it reaches approximately 1/4 L. Record
the concentration.
7. At 1/4 L of the solution, let the solution evaporate by slowly dragging the Evaporation Lever from
“none” to “lots.” Take note of the changes of the concentration.
8. Completely evaporate the solution and observe what happens.
9. Repeat the whole procedure using a Liquid solute. Determine its concentration by dragging the
probe to the tip of the dropper and press the dropper once.

SOLID SOLUTE
Concentration of solvent with 0 g
solute
Concentration upon reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)
Concentration at 3/4 L (mol/L)

Concentration at 1 L (mol/L)

Concentration at 1/4 L (mol/L)

LIQUID SOLUTE
Concentration =
Concentration of solvent with 0 mL
solute
Concentration after 3 drops (mol/L)

Concentration at 3/4 L (mol/L)

Concentration at 1 L (mol/L)

Concentration at 1/4 L (mol/L)

III. Concentration of Saturated Solutions

NOTE: NOTE: You may or may not use the same solutes you used previously.

1. Drag the probe to the bottom of the beaker with 1/2 L water. The concentration reading should
be 0.000 mol/L.
2. Choose a solid solute from the Solute Options.
3. Shake the Solute Sprinkler several times until the word “Saturated!” appears at the bottom of the
beaker. Record the concentration.
4. Click the blue knob of the Top Faucet and add water up to approximately 3/4 L. Record the
concentration.
 5. Open the Bottom Faucet and drain out the solution until it reaches 1/4 L. Make the solution
saturated by adding solute.
6. Let the saturated solution evaporate by slowly dragging the Evaporation Lever from “none” to
“lots.” Take note of the changes of the concentration.
7. Completely evaporate the solution and observe what happens.
8. Repeat the whole procedure using a Liquid solute. Determine its concentration by dragging the
probe to the tip of the dropper and press the dropper once.

SOLID SOLUTE
Concentration of solvent with 0 g
solute
Concentration upon reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)
Concentration at 3/4 L (mol/L)

LIQUID SOLUTE
Concentration =
Concentration of solvent with 0 g
solute
Concentration upon reaching
Saturation Point (mol/L)
Concentration at 3/4 L (mol/L)

QUESTIONS:

I. Concentration of Unsaturated vs. Saturated Solutions

1. When you added the solute to the water, what happened to the concentration of the solution? (1 pt)
2. When you added the solute to the water, what happened to the color of the solution? What happened
to the color of the solution when you added more and more solute? Describe for both solutes. (6 pts)
3. When you added more solute to the solution after the saturation point, what happened to the
concentration? (1 pt)
4. Calculate the number of moles of each solute (solid and liquid) after sprinkling/dropping solute once
(or the number of moles at Step 3) assuming that each sprinkle or drop is equivalent to 3 grams of
solute. Show solutions. (6 pts)

II. Concentration of Unsaturated Solutions

1. When you added water while keeping the amount of solute constant, what happened to the
concentration of the solution? (1 pt)
2. Did the concentration of the solution change when you decreased the volume from 1 L to 1/4 L? If
yes, why did it change? If no, why didn’t it change? (3 pts)
3. As the volume of the solution decreased during evaporation, how did the concentration change? (1pt)
4. After complete evaporation, what was left in the beaker? (1 pt)
III. Concentration of Saturated Solutions

1. What do you call the solution when you added more water to the saturated solution? (1 pt)
2. What components of the solution do you see in a saturated solution? (2 pts)
3. As the volume of the solution decreased during evaporation, how did the concentration change? (1pt)
4. What happened to the solute as the solution completely evaporated? (1 pt)

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS (3 pts each)

1. Is dilution directly or indirectly related to Molarity? Explain how you used the simulation to determine
the relationship.
2. What is one way to change the volume without changing the concentration? Describe why the
concentration doesn’t change?
3. Does the concentration change in the same way if you used solid or liquid to add solute? Explain.
4. Based on the simulation, why does the concentration of a saturated solution doesn’t change even if
you add more solute.
5. Based on your observation, how is Molarity affected by the evaporation of an unsaturated solution
and a saturated solution? Explain how they are similar or different.