Unit 4 - Solutions

Time Frame
Competencies
C1.
C2.
C3.

5 weeks
Gain understanding of solutions and the dissolving process.
Appreciate solutions at work in the natural environment.
Understand the concepts of mole, solution, solvent, solute, solubility, and
concentration.

SATURATED, UNSATURATED, AND SUPERSATURATED SOLUTIONS

Time Frame: 2 sessions
I. Learning Objectives
At the end of the session, the students must be able to describe different types of
solutions. They must be able to:
1. Describe how temperature affects solubility;
2. Compare and contrast saturated, unsaturated and supersaturated solutions;
3. Appreciate the importance of different types of solutions in daily life.
II. Subject Matter
A.
Topic: Types of solutions, the dissolving process.
B.

C.

References:
1. Department of Education, Culture and Sports. (1991). Science and Technology III.
Quezon City: Book Media Press, pp. 129-130.
2. Brown, Theodore L., LeMay, H. Eugene Jr., and Bursten, Bruce E., (2000).
Chemistry the Central Science. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, pp. 474-475.
3. Chemistry, Addison Wesley pp. 459
4. Mapa, Fidilino, Rabago, Chemistry: Science & Technology III, pp. 236.
Materials
Water
Salt
Test tube
Alcohol burner

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III. Learning Tasks

A. Recall and Motivation
1.
How do substances dissolve?
2.
Sugar dissolves easily in water. Suppose
you want to make super sweet lemonade. You stir two, three, four or more
teaspoons of sugar into a cup of water and all crystals of sugar dissolve. But you
reach a point when the sugar no longer dissolves. This means that the glass of
water already contains the maximum amount of sugar it can hold at room
temperature. At this point, the solution is already saturated.
ii.

Lesson Proper
Activity: Dissolving Salt (SAS 4-04)

2.
a.

Place 10 ml of water into a test

tube. Add pinch of the sodium chloride crystal and shake the contents
thoroughly. Observe what happens.

b.

Continue adding the crystals little

by little (tip of a spatula). Shake the test tube after each addition. Keep
adding sodium chloride crystals little by little until the crystals no longer
dissolve.

c.

Add an extra pinch when the

point is reached that the crystals no longer dissolves.

d.

Heat the test tube until the

solution almost boils. Observe what happens.

e.

Then add sodium chloride again

until no more crystals can be dissolved.

f.

Allow the solid particles that did

not dissolve to settle at the bottom of the test tube.

g.

Separating the liquid from the

settled crystals at the bottom of the test tube by using a medicine dropper.

h.

Discard the solid particles and

allow the clear liquid to cool. Cooling may be done by immersing the test
tube in a beaker filled with ice (ice bath).

i.

When the system has cooled, add

pinch of the crystal. Observe what happens.

3.

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Discussion/ Concept Formation

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a.

What happened to the sodium chloride crystals when added to 5ml of

water?

b.

Explain the observed solubility in terms of the factor "nature of solute

and solvent."

c.

Was there a limit to the amount of solute that was continuously added?
How can you tell?

d.

Using the factors on solubility, explain why the excess solute

disappeared after heating the solution.

e.

What happened when you added sodium chloride crystals to the test
tube immersed in an ice bath?

f.

What is solubility?

g.

How does solubility vary among different solutes?

h.
i.

How does solubility vary for the same solute at different temperature?
How would you differentiate between saturated, unsaturated and
supersaturated solutions?

j.

In the activity performed, which is the unsaturated solution? Saturated

solution? Supersaturated solution?

k.

How do you know that the solution is saturated? Unsaturated?

Supersaturated?
YOU MAY END SESSION 1 AT THIS POINT.

C.

Generalization
1.
Solubility is defined as the maximum amount of solute
dissolved by a given amount of solvent at a definite temperature.
2.

The solubility of the given substances in a given solute is

temperature-dependent.

3.

Solution containing the maximum amount of solute at room

temperature is saturated. When more solute is added into the solution the solute
will no longer dissolve.

4.

If the solution contains the maximum amount of solute at an

elevated temperature the solution is supersaturated. When more solute is added
into the solution, crystals will form.

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5.

D.

Application / Valuing
1.
Have you tried preparing coffee in cold water? Do you think
the coffee, cream and sugar will dissolve readily in cold water? (At a higher
temperature, more solute can dissolve in a given solvent)
2.

E.

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If the solution contains less quantity of solute than what can be

dissolved at room temperature it is unsaturated. When more solute is added into
solution the solute dissolves.

Why do doctors advice us to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of

water daily? Food is better assimilated in our system when dissolved in water.

Evaluation
Multiple Choice
1.
The solubility of a solute is indicated by the (D)
a.
the temperature of the solution
b.
the quantity of solute
c.
the quantity of solvent
d.
all of these
2.
A solution can be both (A)
a.
saturated and unsaturated
b.
saturated and supersaturated
c.
unsaturated and supersaturated
d.
dilute and unsaturated
3.
When another crystal was added to a water solution of the same
substance, the crystal seemed to remain unchanged. Its particles
a.
go into an unsaturated solution
b.
exchange places with others in the solutions
c.
cause the solution to become supersaturated
d.
not going into solution in this static condition

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