Inves&ga&ng the influence of potassium chloride on sodium

chloride dissolving

Due date: 17/11/23

Research ques+on:
 How does the different amounts of potassium chloride dissolved in water have an influence on
how quickly sodium chloride in the soluAon containing KCI dissolves?

Introduc+on:
In the experiment that was conducted in class, we focused on how potassium chloride (KCl)
influenced sodium chloride (NaCl) dissoluAon in water, the hypothesizes stated that changing the
KCl concentraAon influenced the dissoluAon rate due to potenAal ion interacAons, complex
formaAon, or altered intermolecular forces. To test this theory, various KCl concentraAons were
added to water soluAons, and the resulAng NaCl dissoluAon rates were measured using a
thermometer and stopwatch. The study aimed to gather observaAonal data that would show the
relaAonship between KCl concentraAon and NaCl dissoluAon. This data was achieved by having
repeatability of the experiment to gather plenty of trial data for further increase the accuracy of
the experimental design.

Results:

Raw data table

HOW THE AMOUNT OF KCI ADDED TO A SALT SOLUTION AFFECT THE TIME TAKEN FOR THE NaCI TO
DISSOLVE WHEN MIXED
Trial 1 Trial 2
Time taken
Breaker Time taken Before adding After adding
Before adding After adding for (seconds)
with KCI (second) for NaCI NaCI
NaCI NaCI for NaCI to
already NaCI to fully (temperature (temperature
(temperature C°) (temperatureC°) fully
added dissolve C°) C°)
dissolve
A-0 20 20 45 19 19 40
B-3 20 19 55 17 17 43
C-6 18 17 45 18 17 45
D-9 17 17 48 20 19 47
E - 12 16 17 51 19 18 55

Fig 1: The raw data table that shows the data that was collected during each trial. The data table
included the temperature before and aQer adding the NaCI into the KCI soluAon
Processed data table
The average time taken in seconds between 2 trials for NaCI to fully
dissolve

Beaker with KCI already added Time taken for NaCI to fully dissolve
A-0 42,5
B- 3 49,0
C- 6 45,0
D- 9 47,5
E- 12 53,0

Fig 2: This is the processed data that shows the average Ame taken for NaCI to fully dissolve in
the soluAon. In the column for the beakers, the grams of KCI (0,3,6,9,12 grams) added to each
beaker were also menAoned to make it more understandable for the reader.

Calcula1ng the average of the 1me taken

= AVERAGE (NUMBER 1: NUMBER 2)

For example.
= AVERAGE (45:4
= 42,5

Number 1 is taken from the first trial and number 2 would be taken from the second trial. In the
example above, the number 1 (45) was taken from trial 1, and number 2 (40) was taken from trial
2

Graph
 Average time taken (seconds) between 2 trials for the NaCI to
fully dissolve
60,0
Average time taken in seconds

50,0
53,0
49,0 47,5
40,0 45,0
42,5

30,0

20,0

10,0

0,0
A-0 B- 3 C- 6 D- 9 E- 12
Beaker with KCI already added

Fig 3: The graph suggests how the Ame increases as the concentraAon of KCI increases

Interpreta1on of data:
Looking through the collected data, especially the graph shown above, it’s very clear that there is
a general increasing trend of the Ame taken (seconds) for the NaCI to dissolve as the amount of
KCI added into each beaker increases. The lowest Ame was recorded at Beaker A which had zero
added KCI into the soluAon and the highest Ame taken for dissolving was recorded at Beaker E
which showed that it took 53 seconds for the NaCI to fully dissolve. However, as you move from
A-1 up unAl E-12, there is a trend of increasing dissoluAon Ame. With the general trend of the
dissoluAon Ame increasing, there is also a slight decrease in Ame between B-3 and C-6. This
difference could have been noAced if there had been a possible error with either measuring the
KCI or the Ame.

The reliability of the data would be somewhat precise and accurate because based on the two
trials that were done, the consistency of the results didn’t show much pajern or relaAonship. In
my case, each trial had been done on different dates and that would cause a significant difference
in each trial. The reliability is also influenced by the size of the experiment in this case, the data
only represent a small subset of trials which can influence the trends/pajern

The graph shows minor outliers since some gaps were noAceably much larger compared to some
from each the gap between A-0 and B-3 is significantly larger compared to D-9 and E-12. The
second noAceable outliner that can be observed is that the Ame taken for each dissoluAon of B-
3 unAl E-12 isn’t major and there is only a difference of a few seconds on the graph, it can be
noAced as the dots are closer to each other and the line aQer B-3 doesn’t have any major decrease
neither increase.
Lastly, the observed trend suggests that there is a posiAve correlaAon between the amount of KCI
and the Ame taken for NaCI to dissolve.

Conclusion:
In response to the research quesAon discussing the influence of potassium chloride concentraAon
on the rate of sodium chloride dissoluAon in the soluAon. Through the finding, it was revealed as
the concentraAon of potassium chloride increases, the Ame for sodium chloride to dissolve also
increases, presenAng the interacAon of ions in the soluAons. The results downright reject the
iniAal hypothesis, which proposed that higher concentraAons of potassium chloride would result
in a faster rate of dissoluAon of sodium chloride. Our finding on the other hand indicates that the
higher the concentraAon of potassium chloride, the longer it takes sodium chloride to dissolve.
‘’The rate at which a solute dissolves depends upon the size of the solute par7cles.’’ (LibreTexts)
This quote means that is speed at which the substances dissolve in the solvent is oQen influenced
by the size of individual parAcles that make up that soluAon as a rule, more modest parAcles will
generally break up more quickly than bigger ones. This is on the grounds that more modest
parAcles have a bigger surface region compared with their volume, permilng them to connect
even more successfully with the dissolvable atoms, prompAng a quicker disintegraAon process.
The statement features the significance of molecule size in understanding and anAcipaAng the
energy of disintegraAon processes in arrangements.

In conclusion, the research quesAon is addressed by acknowledging the surprising pajern

idenAfied in the data. A scienAfic raAonale, based on the complex interacAons between ions, is
put forward. The iniAal hypothesis, proposing quicker dissoluAon with higher KCl concentraAon,
is decisively contradicted by the findings. These unanAcipated results, diverging from
expectaAons, offer valuable insights for future invesAgaAons and improvements in subsequent
studies

Evalua+on:

The examinaAon inspects how various measures of potassium chloride (KCl) influence the way
sodium chloride (NaCl) disintegrates. While the methodology has valid statements, a more criAcal
look uncovers worries about precisely esAmaAng the measures of KCl and NaCl, guaranteeing a
fair correlaAon, and gelng an adequate amount of informaAon. Making upgrades here is vital
for making our invesAgaAon more exact and the ends more dependable. This also helps in
indicaAng that it’s important to analyze and present some of the weaknesses and strengths that
were noAced upon the observaAon. Knowing the weaknesses through this experiment would
make it clear where it would be important to address possible yet realisAc improvements in the
experiment.

Changing and measuring the independent variable:

The independent variable was the amount of KCI added to its desired beaker. To measure this
variable, we had to use a measuring instrument called a weighing scale. Using this instrument
allowed us to know the quanAty of the KCI added to each beaker. The strengths that were
experienced for this variable would be that when measuring the variable, the KCI had been added
into the correct beaker with the appropriate amount of KCI needed. To measure the KCI, the use
of a weighing scale was very important since it helped to have exact proporAons also mixing the
KCI in each of its beakers for a fair amount of Ame unAl the KCI had been fully dissolved went very
successfully

Measuring the dependent variable:

The dependent variable in this experiment would be the rate at which the NaCI dissolves although
measuring the dissoluAon of NaCI was successful, some challenges were experienced for example
during the experiment, we were using the measuring instrument known as a magneAc sArrer
which sArred the NaCI in the soluAon at a constant speed but when using the magneAc sArrer,
there were oQen problem like when has the NaCI been fully dissolved in the soluAon since the air
bubbles in the water are much noAceable when using this instrument, it makes it difficult for the
person Aming the dissoluAon to know when it’s the correct Ame to stop since you don’t want to
stop too early nor too late as this would affect the results.

Keeping controlled variables constant:

The controlled variables in this experiment were the volume of the solvent, temperature, and
maintaining a constant speed when mixing the NaCI. The strengths in this variable were that
throughout the experiment, the volume of the solvent was able to remain the same by using the
150mL beaker to hold 100mL of disAlled water, and throughout both 2 trials, the beakers
remained the same so that there wouldn’t be much of change when collecAng the data. The flaw
in the controlled variable was the temperature because when measuring the temperature, each
of the beakers had different temperatures which would make it difficult to have all the solvents
at the same temperature at the same Ame. The other strength was that when mixing the NaCI
with the use of the magneAc sArrer, there was a constant speed of 8 throughout each beaker and
trial, and having the speed remain the same made the tesAng much fairer.

Obtaining sufficient reliable data to answer the research ques1on:

The flaw that was done throughout the experiment would be the limited number of trials and the
number of replicates meaning that to address this, a reasonable improvement includes expanding
both the number of duplicates and trials. Growing our dataset through various replicates and
trials not only invigorates the measurable hearAness of our outcomes but also gives a more far-
reaching and trustworthy starAng point for our decisions. Due to the limited trials done in this
experiment, the data had some unexpected results that were very interesAng to look over and
inquire about because the unexpected results may have changed if there had been further trials
done on this experiment.

Realis1c improvements in the experimental method:

Some of the realisAc improvements in the experiment method would be having more trials done
to have more data which would help with collecAvely enhancing the accuracy, reliability, and
objecAvity of the experiment methodology. To further improve the experiment, it would be
important in the future to have bejer measuring techniques for the NaCI dissoluAon and
explicitly specify the precision of the measuring.

Extension of the inves1ga1on:

Considering the outcomes that we have already looked through in this experiment by delving into
the influence of KCI on NaCI dissoluAon rate. AddiAonally exploring the effect of pH refers to how
the acidity or the alkalinity of the soluAon influences the chemical process. In the context of the
experiment, the dissoluAon of potassium chloride (KCI) and sodium chloride (NaCI) examine the
effect of the pH altering the acidity of the solvent in which salt is dissolved.

Works Cited

LibreTexts. “16.2: Rate of Dissolution.” Chemistry LibreTexts, 27 June 2016,

chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-

12)/16%3A_Solutions/16.02%3A_Rate_of_Dissolving.

“Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride Uses, Side Effects & Warnings.” Drugs.com,

www.drugs.com/mtm/potassium-chloride-and-sodium-chloride.html.

“Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Seperation of Salts? - Powered by XMB 1.9.11.”

Www.sciencemadness.org, www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=20352.

Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.

Stewart, Ken. “Potassium Chloride | Chemical Compound.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug.

2023, www.britannica.com/science/potassium-chloride.
Western Oregon University. “CH104: Chapter 7 – Solutions – Chemistry.” Western Oregon

University, wou.edu/chemistry/courses/online-chemistry-textbooks/3890-2/ch104-

chapter-7-solutions/.

“Which Is More Soluble in Water NaCl or KCl Class 11 Chemistry CBSE.” Www.vedantu.com,

www.vedantu.com/question-answer/which-is-more-soluble-in-water-nacl-or-kcl-class-

11-chemistry-cbse-60cb38b185f4b97ae2f17516.