Skip to main content

Solubility

Solubility refers to the ability of a substance (solute) to dissolve in a solvent to form a homogeneous solution. It depends on temperature, pressure, and the nature of the solute and solvent.

Factors Affecting Solubility​

  1. Nature of Solute and Solvent

    • “Like dissolves like”: Polar solutes dissolve in polar solvents; nonpolar solutes dissolve in nonpolar solvents.

  2. Temperature

    • Most solids: Solubility increases with temperature
    • Most gases: Solubility decreases with temperature

  3. Pressure (mainly affects gases)

    • Higher pressure increases gas solubility in liquids (Henry’s Law: S = kP)

  4. Common Ion Effect

    • Presence of ions already in solution reduces solubility of a salt due to Le Chatelier’s principle.

Saturation​

  • Unsaturated: Contains less solute than maximum; more can dissolve
  • Saturated: Contains maximum solute at given conditions; dynamic equilibrium exists
  • Supersaturated: Contains more solute than equilibrium; unstable, may crystallize spontaneously

Importance​

  • Predicting precipitation reactions in chemistry
  • Designing pharmaceutical formulations and solutions
  • Understanding environmental processes such as gas absorption in water

Have Questions?​

If you have any questions, or are looking for more resources, you can join our Discord Server