SOLUBILITY AND THERMODYNAMICSAIM

Aim
The experiment was carried out with the purpose of using the solubility of KNO3 to find
different thermodynamic variables (∆H, ∆S and ∆G) and to check the relationship between solubility
and temperature.
Introduction
Thermodynamics is silent on the rate at which a spontaneous change in fact occurs, and some
spontaneous processes (such as the conversion of diamond to graphite) may be so slow that the
tendency is never realized in practice whereas others (such as the expansion of a gas into a vacuum)
are almost instantaneous. Silberman, R. G. (1996). To determine the relationship of solubility and
temperature one dissolved the same amount of potassium nitrate in a consistent volume of water at
different temperatures. The concentration was calculated for each solution at different
temperatures and the relationship between Ksp and temperature was determined.

Method
The experiment was carried out as per the instructions in the lab manual.
Result and data

Trials Volume (mL) Volume (L) Temperature (℃ ) Temperature in k

1 24.00 24.00 x 10−3 61.29 334.29
2 28.43 28.43 x 10−3 54.86 327.86
3 33.29 33.29 x 10−3 46.29 319.29
4 37.43 37.43 x 10−3 40.43 313.43
5 41.86 41.86 x 10−3 34.00 307.00
6 46.71 46.71 x 10−3 28.26 301.26
7 51.14 51.14 x 10−3 25.14 298.14

Number of moles = mass / molar mass n= 20g /101.102g = 0.19782 moles

number of moles 0.1978

Molarity = = x 1000=8.2425 moles /L
volume 2 4.00
K = [K+][ NO3̄ ] = (s)(s)= s2 = (8.2425)2=¿ 6 7 . 9388

∆ G=−RTlnK=− ( 8.314
mol )
JK
(334.29 k ) ln ( 6 7 . 9388 ) =−11724.70J/mol

NB: Same procedure was carried out for each temperature to get ∆ G

Trials Ksp ln(k) ∆ G (J/mol) ∆H ∆S 1

T
1 67.9388 4.2186 -11724.70 33063.096 133.97 0.00299141
2 48.4157 3.8798 -10575.66 33063.096 133.97 0.00305008
3 35.1129 3.5586 -9446.577 33063.096 133.97 0.00313195
4 27.9319 3.3298 -8676.982 33063.096 133.97 0.00319051
5 22.3327 3.1327 -7995.897 33063.096 133.97 0.00325733
6 17.9359 2.8868 -7230.497 33063.096 133.97 0.00331939
 7 14.9630 2.7056 -6706.468 33063.096 133.97 0.00335413

Solubility of potasium nitrate

4.5
4 f(x) = − 3964.42477519472 x + 16.0139944189318
3.5 R² = 0.993776780970584
3
2.5
LN (K)

2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0.0029 0.003 0.0031 0.0032 0.0033 0.0034
1/T

∆ H =−R ( slope ) =−8.314 (−3964.4 )=32960.022 J /mol

y = -3964.4x + 16.014

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

The reaction is endothermic, because of a positive change in enthalpy. Energy is being absorbed.

Entropy goes from more disorder (liquid) to a more order (solid). When the liquid crystallises into a
solid, the molecules get arranged more orderly causing a decrease in randomness.

Conclusions

From the results we can see that the solubility of potassium nitrate is increased as the
temperature is increased. Because delta H is positive the dissolution of KNO3 is an
endothermic reaction. It is also spontaneous since delta G at every temperature is less than
1. The assumption was that the solubility of the solution would decrease at the
temperature decreases. The graph and data showed that this was true, but it was assumed
that the solubility would decrease at a much faster rate as the temperature continue to
change, but that was not the case. So the assumption was only slightly true. According to
(Silberman, 1996) if delta H and delta S are both negative values delta G would be
spontaneous under low temperature unlike the experimental reaction.

References
Silberman, R. G. (1996). Solubility and Thermodynamics: An Introductory Experiment.
Journal of Chemical Education, 73(5), 426–427. https://doi.org/10.1021/ED073P426