Solvents and solutions

The experiments in this section include activities illustrating the variation of solubility of a solute with temperature, the formation of saturated solutions and the solubility of solutes in different solvents.

While we are still at an early stage with this website it's probably more useful to look at the page with our complete list of experiments in alphabetical order. See the list on About this website.

We are starting with GCSE-level experiments.

Experiments

• Distribution of iodine between two immiscible solvents

  A qualitative investigation into the way a solute, iodine, can distribute itself between two immiscible solvents, aqueous potassium iodide and cyclohexane.

• What are the dissolved solids in sea water?

  A large volume of sea water is gradually evaporated. At intervals it is filtered, and the solids analysed for the salts they contain.

• Recovering pure water from a solution using a water condenser

  Copper sulfate solution is boiled and the water vapour produced is cooled and condensed to a liquid.

• The thermal properties of water

  A paper cup containing water will not burn and a balloon containing water will not pop when heated.

• How can hardness in water be removed?

  The effect of various softening methods is tried on temporarily and permanently hard water.

• Which ions cause hardness in water?

  The effect of various dissolved salts on soap solution is tested, in order to see which cause hardness.

• Diffusion in liquids

  Students place a crystal of lead nitrate and a crystal of potassium iodide into a petri dish of deionised water. These dissolve, diffuse and react to form yellow lead iodide.

• Equilibria involving carbon dioxide in aqueous solution

  The effect of pressure on the solubility of carbon dioxide in water, and hence on the equilibria in solution, illustrates Le Chatelier’s principle and Henry’s law of gas solubility.

• The part that water plays in acidity

  This experiment shows what part water plays in the characteristic properties of acids.

• Reactions of aqueous solutions of the halogens

  This activity investigates some of the chemical properties of the halogens.~~

• Silver and lead halides

  A series of reactions showing the formation of silver and lead halides, and some of their properties.

• Sodium ethanoate ‘stalagmite’

  A demonstration showing rapid crystallisation of a supersaturated solution

• Making and testing ammonia

  Students produce ammonia gas and carry out a small-scale, simplified version of the ammonia fountain experiment.