Question

The rate at which salt dissolves in water is directly proportional to the amount?

Answer 1

The rate at which salt dissolves in water is directly proportional to factors such as temperature, agitation, and surface area. A substance's solubility defines the maximum amount that can dissolve at a given temperature, and once saturation is reached, no more will dissolve.

Step-by-step explanation:

The rate at which salt dissolves in water is directly proportional to several factors, including the frequency and energy of collisions between solvent molecules and the solute. Table salt, or NaCl, has a certain solubility level which is the maximum amount that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent. At 25°C, 31.6 grams of NaCl can dissolve in 100 grams of H2O, creating a saturated solution. When the solution reaches this point of saturation, no additional salt will dissolve, and the solution is in a state of equilibrium.

Factors that can increase the rate of dissolution include increasing the temperature, agitating the solution (such as stirring), and increasing the surface area of the solute. For instance, finely ground salt dissolves more quickly than larger crystals because more surface area is exposed to the water. A saturated solution is different for every compound and is influenced by the solute's structure and its interaction with the water. Above the saturation point, additional solute will not dissolve, and the concentration of the dissolved ions or molecules in the solution will remain steady.

Answer 2

The rate of dissolution of salt in water is affected by factors such as surface area, agitation, and temperature, but it is not directly proportional to the amount of salt. Solubility indicates the maximum amount of salt that can dissolve in water, which depends on temperature and the unique properties of the solute.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question posed by the student regards the rate of dissolution relating to solubility and saturation of table salt (NaCl) in water. To understand this, we must first realize that dissolution is the process in which a solute (in this case, salt) dissolves to form a solution. The rate at which salt dissolves can be influenced by multiple factors that affect how frequently solvent molecules collide with the salt crystals and how much energy these collisions have.

Thus, the rate at which salt dissolves in water is indeed directly proportional to the surface area of the salt and other factors, but not specifically to the amount of salt. For instance, if you stir or agitate a solution, or increase the temperature of the solvent, the rate of dissolution usually increases.

However, the amount of salt that can dissolve, the solubility, is fundamentally determined by the solute's characteristics and the temperature of the water. Once the point of saturation is reached, additional salt will not dissolve because the rate at which the salt is dissolving equals the rate at which it's recrystallizing.