Question

What is the solubility of solids in liquid?

Answer 1

Solubility is the process of complete mixing of one substance into another. When a solid is added to a liquid, it interacts with liquid molecules and dissolves in it accordingly. This process is known as dissolution and solid is said to be soluble in a liquid solvent.

Complete answer:
The term solubility can be defined as a physical property of a substance to dissolve in another substance. A solution is made up of a solute particle and solvent medium. A solute is a substance that is being dissolved in a given solvent. Usually, in a solution of two substances, the one which is present in less amount is known as solute and the other one in excess is known as a solvent.
For example, when we mix sugar in a glass of water, sugar is the solute and water is the solvent.
The solubility of a substance is a measure of its dissolution into another substance and it largely depends upon the interaction between solute and solvent. Strong solute-solvent attractions lead to greater solubility while weak solute-solvent attractions lead to lesser solubility.
From various experiments, it has been observed that polar solutes dissolve in polar solvents while non-polar solutes tend to dissolve in a nonpolar solvent. The above observation is framed into a very famous statement - like dissolves like.
Now let us understand the solubility of solids in liquid. When a solid solute is added to a liquid, the solute particles dissolve in the solvent and this process is known as dissolution. Some solute particles in the solution collide with each other and get separated from the solution, this process is called crystallization.
A state of dynamic equilibrium exists between these two processes. It means that the number of solute molecules entering the solution is equal to that leaving the solution. As a result, the concentration of the solute in the solution remains constant at a constant temperature and pressure condition but varies with the temperature change.

Note:
The effects of temperature on the solubility of solids depend on whether the reaction is endothermic or exothermic. For an endothermic reaction, increasing the temperature increases the solubility while for an exothermic reaction increasing the temperature decreases solubility. However, there is minimal effect of pressure on the solubility of solids in liquid.