Saturated and Unsaturated Solutions

Is there a limit to the amount of solute that will dissolve in a solvent?

Why?
We use solutions every day. People who wear contact lenses use “lens solution” to rinse their contacts
and keep them wet. Athletes who consume sports drinks after exercising benefit from the electrolytes in
those solutions. This activity will explore whether or not there is a limit to how much of one substance
can dissolve in another.
Model 1 – Saturated and Unsaturated Solutions

10
0

18 18
0 27
1. Which illustration below represents
a. solute particles in a solid state in water?
b. solute particles in an aqueous state?

b a

2. What variables are controlled in all five beakers of Model 1?

Same amount of solvent(water), same temperature, same solute, stirred for 2 hours

3. Count the particles present in each beaker of Model 1. Fill in the table to show the number of
dissolved solute particles and the number of solid solute particles.

Refer to table.

4. Consider the beakers in Model 1.

a. Which beakers represent unsaturated solutions?
A&B
b. Which beakers represent saturated solutions?
C, D & E
5. Beakers A–E in Model 1 are depicted as representing five different or separate solutions. They could
also be considered as five “snapshots” of the same beaker over time. In other words, if additional
measured quantities of solute were stirred into beaker A in small increments over time, then beakers
B–E would result.
a. When a small amount of additional solute is added to an unsaturated solution, what happens to
the number of dissolved particles? Provide specific evidence from Model 1 to support your
answer.

The particles dissolve. If we look at beaker A and we add more solute it becomes like beaker B
which has more particles dissolved.

b. When a small amount of additional solute is added to a saturated solution, what happens to the
number of dissolved particles? Provide specific evidence from Model 1 to support your
answer.

The particles settle out to the bottom, this is like going from beaker C to D.

c. Predict what would happen if a small amount of additional solute were stirred into beaker E in
Model 1.

Nothing would happen, more solute would settle to the bottom.

6. Have each person in your group provide an example of the word “saturated” as it is used in an
everyday context. Summarize the meaning of the word in the space below.

Some examples: a soaked sponge, soil after a heavy rain, adding sugar to iced tea
Definition: something that has the maximum amount of a substance in it.
7. Use a grammatically correct sentence to explain why beakers D and E in Model 1 are labeled as
“saturated.” Be sure to incorporate the words “solute” and “solvent” in your explanation, and reach a
consensus within your group.
Beakers D & E are saturated because there is a maximum amount of solute dissolved in the solvent. We
can see that because there is solute settled at the bottom of the beaker.

8. What feature in the beakers in Model 1 would typically enable a student to distinguish a saturated
solution from an unsaturated one simply by looking at the beaker?
Solute settled at the bottom of the beaker typically designates a solution as saturated.

9. Beaker C in Model 1 is shown as “saturated.” Explain why this is the correct category for beaker C
even though the typical feature listed in Question 8 is not present.
Beaker C is still saturated even though there is no solid at the bottom. If we compare C to D & E we see
that there is the same amount of particles dissolved in each of the beakers. This means that C can not
have any more solute dissolved in solution meaning it is saturated.

10. If you were handed a beaker containing a clear solution (with no solid solute at the bottom), and
asked to identify it as “saturated” or “unsaturated,” what simple test could you perform to determine
the answer.
Add a small amount of solute of known mass, if it dissolves it is unsaturated. If solid settles to the
bottom filter the solution and mass the remaining solid, if the mass is the same then the solution was
saturated, if the mass is lower than it is an unsaturated solution.

Model 2 – Solute Dissolved vs. Solute Added

The following data refer to an experiment in which a measured mass of solid is added to 10.0 g of
20 °C water. The mixture is stirred and allowed to sit for 3 hours. Ten separate trials are conducted for
the experiment.

11. Four of the trials in Model 2 correspond to beakers A, B, D, and E from Model 1. Write the letters
for those beakers next to the corresponding trial numbers in Model 2.
See above.

12. Identify the following variables in the experiment in Model 2.

Dependent variable Independent variable Controlled variable(s)
Amount of solute added amount of solute dissolved temperature, amount of
solvent
13. Sketch a graph of the data for the experiment in Model 2. A space has been provided next to the data
table. Be sure to consider which variable belongs on each axis.

See graph

14. Consider the data in Model 2.

a. Which trials represent solutions that are unsaturated?
Trials 1-3

b. Which trial numbers represent solutions that are saturated?

Trials 4-10

c. Describe the feature in the graph that can help you identify the saturated solutions. Explain.

The flat line, the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved in the solution and no more
solute will dissolve

15. Which trials in the experiment in Model 2 would have visible amounts of solid on the bottom of the
beaker?

Trials 4-10

16. For Trial 8 in Model 2, determine the mass of solid solute remaining on the bottom of the beaker.
Show your calculation.

8.0g-3.6g = 4.4 g of solid on the bottom of the beaker

17. Imagine that the contents of the beaker for Trial 8 in Model 2 are vigorously stirred and then poured
into filter paper in a funnel.
a. Is the liquid that drips from the filter (the filtrate) unsaturated or saturated? Explain.
Saturated, the same amount of solute is still dissolved

b. Which beaker in Model 1 best represents the filtrate that would be obtained?
Beaker C

Extension Questions
18. Predict what would happen to the mass of solid solute sitting on the bottom of the beaker in Trial 8
in Model 2 when the following changes occur. Use complete sentences to support your predictions.
a. More water is added to the beaker.
The solid at the bottom of the beaker would dissolve if more water is added.

b. The beaker is heated (assume no evaporation occurs).

The solid at the bottom of the beaker would dissolve it heat was added.

c. The beaker is allowed to sit uncovered for two days and some water evaporates.
Some of the solid would come out of solution and sit on the bottom of the beaker to match the
decrease in volume of solvent (water).
 Solubility
How is the quantity of solute in a saturated solution determined?
Why?
When we add salt to a pot of boiling water or sugar to a pitcher of iced tea, we expect that the added
solute will completely dissolve. It requires a large quantity of these solutes to saturate a solution. On the
other hand, water has flowed over rock riverbeds for centuries and only dissolved enough material in
some cases to provide a trace of certain minerals in the water. Different solutes, such as salt, sugar, or
minerals, dissolve to very different extents in water (and other solvents). In this activity you will learn
how to quantify the amount of solute that is dissolved in a saturated solution.
Model 1 – Three Solutions
The following data refer to three experiments in which solute is added to water in a beaker at 20 ºC. The
mixtures are stirred and then allowed to sit for three hours before measuring the amount of solid that
dissolves. Ten separate trials are conducted for each experiment. The same solute is used in all three
experiments.

1. Identify the variable(s) that were controlled among all three experiments in Model 1.
Same temperature, stirred for same amount of time, allowed to sit for 3 hours, same solute

2. What variable(s) were changed purposefully among the three experiments in Model 1?
Amount of solute added, amount of solvent in beaker.

3. What experimental question can be answered by analyzing the data in the three experiments in Model
1? Use the words “solvent” and “solute” in your question.
How much solute can dissolved in a any given amount of solved at 20oC?
4. In each of the three experiments in Model 1, determine the point in the experiment that the beakers
became saturated. Draw a box around the entire section of data in each experiment that represents
saturated solutions.
See chart.

5. Consider the data in Model 1.

a. Which experiment shows the largest mass of dissolved solute in the saturated solutions?
The third experiment

b. Propose an explanation for why the mass of dissolved solute changed among the three
experiments.
It has the largest amount of solvent to dissolve in

Read This!
Solubility is a measure of the maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent
at a specific temperature. In other words, it is the ratio of solute to solvent in a saturated solution at a
specific temperature. Solubility is typically reported as grams of solute per 100 g H 2O. For example, if a
maximum of 20.4 g of table sugar (sucrose) will dissolve in 10.0 g of water at 20 °C, then the solubility
of sucrose would be 204 g sucrose/100 g H2O.

6. Would it be acceptable for a student to use Trial 2 from Experiment 1 to determine the solubility of
the solute in Model 1? Explain your group’s answer in a complete sentence.
No, more solute can be dissolved

7. In Model 1 none of the experiments used 100 g of water. Use complete sentences to explain how the
ratio “grams of solute per 100 g H2O” can be calculated from the data given in Model 1.
Set up a proportion of the mass dissolved in solution divided by mass of solvent equal to an unknown
mass of solute divided by 100 g of solvent.

8. Use the data in Model 1 to calculate the solubility of the solute (at 20 ºC) for all three experiments.
Show your work.
Experiment 1: Experiment 2: Experiment 3:
3.6g solute = ? g solute 7.2 g solute = ? g solute 18g solute = ? g solute
10g solvent 100g solvent 20g solvent 100g solvent 50g solvent 100g solvent

36 g solute /100 g solvent 36 g solute /100 g solvent 36 g solute /100 g solvent

9. Circle the word or phrase that best completes each of the statements below.
a. When the volume of solvent increases, the mass of solute that can dissolve in a saturated
solution (increases/decreases/stays the same).
b. When the volume of solvent increases, the solubility of a solute at a given temperature
(increases/decreases/stays the same).
10. A student claims, “In Experiment 3, Trial 9, 18.0 grams of solute dissolves, whereas in Experiment
1, Trial 9, only 3.6 grams of solute dissolves. Obviously, the solubility is greater in Experiment 3.”
With your group, devise a well-constructed response.

The solubility is not greater in experiment 3. Since there is a larger amount of solvent, a larger amount
of solute can dissolve .

11. Calculate the mass of the solute used in Model 1 that is needed to make a saturated solution in 140.0
g of water without leaving any solid solute at the bottom. Show your work.

36 g solute = ? g solute
100 g solvent 140 g solvent

50.4 g of solute can be dissolved without leaving any solid at the bottom of the beaker

Adapted from POGIL™ Activities for High School Chemistry by Sarah Eder