What is Dissolution and How Does it Occur?
Dissolution is the process where a solute dissolves in a solvent to form a solution.
Energetically, dissolution of a solid into a solvent occurs in three steps:
1) Separation of the pure solid into particles
2) Breaking up the particles into individual molecules
3) Dispersion of the separate molecules throughout the solvent
During dissolution, the solute breaks up from larger groups of molecules into much smaller groups or individual molecules. Typically, a solid goes into a liquid phase, but dissolution can involve other phase changes as well. For example, when alloys form, one solid dissolves into another solid to form a solid solution.
What Affects Dissolution Rate?
There are three factors that affect the rate of dissolution: the surface area of the solute, the temperature of the solvent, and agitation when the solute and solvent mix. As temperature increases, the rate of dissolving also increases.
Energetically, dissolution of a solid into a solvent to form a solution can be envisioned to occur in three steps:
1) Separation of the pure solid into particles
2) Breaking up the particles into individual molecules
3) Dispersion of the separate molecules throughout the solvent
Solubility is the maximum concentration of solute that can dissolve in a solvent at a given temperature. At maximum concentration, the solution is saturated, and no more solute will dissolve.