Chemical Solutions in the Laboratory

College Communications

Instructor: Lesley Lafond

Name: Gerard Lafalle

Due Date: November 1st, 2018

 Chemical Solutions in the Laboratory

Solutions are the backbone of laboratory experiments. A solution is defined as a

“homogenous mixture of two or more substances” (Helmenstine, 2018, Solution Definition).

Additionally, solutions are composed of solutes and solvents and can be classified according to

their phase or type of compound. Being used in virtually every experiment, it is no secret that

solutions are one of the most fundamental elements of laboratory work; that is why it is critical

to learn how to prepare them, with the correct process and use of glassware.

Composition

Solutions have two items present: The solvent, and the solute. The solute is the substance

that is being dissolved. The solvent is the substance in which the solute is dissolving. In usual

cases, the solvent is the substance that is present the most on the solution (Helmenstine, 2018,

Solution Definition) (Helmenstine, 2017, Solute Definition and Examples).

Classification

Solutes and solvents can be gaseous, liquids, or solids; and they can mix in many

different ways. It is easy to imagine a liquid solution such as NaCl in water, or sugar in water.

However, there are also gaseous and solid solutions such as air (oxygen, nitrogen, Carbon

Dioxide, etc.) and steel (iron and carbon—mostly). It is important to note that the type of

solution is determined by the phase (solid, gas, liquid) of the solvent. As Anne Helmenstine

(2018, Solution Definition) says, “Even though materials of different phases may combine to

form a solution, the end result always exists of a single phase.” For example, solid NaCl

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dissolved in liquid water creates a liquid solution (Helmenstine, 2017, Solute Definition and

Examples).

Solutions can also be classified into organic and inorganic solutions. Organic solutions

are solutions made with carbon-based compounds while inorganic solutions are made with

mostly compounds that do not contain carbon (Helmenstine, 2018, Difference between Organic

and Inorganic). It is essential to know the type and composition of the solutions that are going to

be used in the lab in order to know all the safety precautions that must be taken to have a safe

work environment. For example, most organic compounds are flammable and can irritate skin

upon contact (Pruthu, 2018).

Preparation

Solutions used in the laboratory are liquid, and preparing these solutions requires

knowledge on solution concentration and use of the appropriate glassware and tools. Solution

concentration is most often given in the unit of molarity (M), or mole per litre of the solution,

𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑒
. To prepare a solution with desired volume and molarity, chemists use one of two formulas:
𝐿

𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦 = when starting from scratch, or M1V1=M2V2 when diluting a known
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 (𝐿)

molarity solution to create a lesser-molarity solution. The first one is rearranged for moles to get

the grams of solute using the desired amount of molarity and volume. The second formula is

solved for the initial volume (V1) using the molarity of the known solution (M1), the desired

molarity of the new solution (M2), and the desired volume of the new solution (V2). Figure 1 and

Figure 2 illustrate the process of preparing the solution after calculating the grams of solute and

the volume of the known solution respectively. It is recommended to weigh the grams of solute

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in an analytical balance, as it offers more accuracy. As it can be seen from Figure 1 and Figure 2,

an essential piece of glassware used for solution preparation is the volumetric flask. For both

calculations made above, the volume of the flask in which the prepared solution is going to be

stored is the desired volume. Last but not least, graduated cylinders (Figure 1) are used to hold

the water before the calculations are made, and volumetric pipettes (Figure 2) are used to extract

the exact amount of volume needed in the dilution method.

Figure 1- Preparing a solution from grams of the solute. The grams of solute previously calculated are measured,

placed in the flask of the desired volume, and finally filled up with water.

Source: Halpern, Joshua. (2018, July 20). 4.5: Concentration of Solutions. Retrieved 28 October 2018 from

https://chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/General_Chemistry/Map%3A_Chemistry_-

_The_Central_Science_(Brown_et_al.)/04._Reactions_in_Aqueous_Solution/4.5%3A_Concentration_of_Solutions

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Figure 2- Using a solution to prepare a lesser-molarity solution. The volume of the solute previously calculated is

measured and held in a volumetric pipette, placed in the flask of the desired volume, and finally filled up with water.

Source: Halpern, Joshua. (2018, July 20). 4.5: Concentration of Solutions. Retrieved 28 October 2018 from

https://chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/General_Chemistry/Map%3A_Chemistry_-

_The_Central_Science_(Brown_et_al.)/04._Reactions_in_Aqueous_Solution/4.5%3A_Concentration_of_Solutions

Usage

Solutions—more specifically, liquid solutions—are a vital part of laboratory experiments

because they make reactions occur more easily. When a compound is dissolved in water, its

molecules keep most of their reaction properties but are now flowing more smoothly. These

freely-moving particles come in contact with the other substance particles more often. This swift

collision of particles causes the reaction to occur faster and with less disturbance than it would

have had if the substances had been mixed in, for example, solid form.

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 References

Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2018, October 5). Solution Definition in Chemistry. Retrieved

October 29, 2018 from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-solution-604650

Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2018, October 5). The Difference Between Organic and

Inorganic. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/difference-between-organic-and-

inorganic-603912

Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2017, September 6). Solute Definition and Examples in

Chemistry. Retrieved October 29, 2018 from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-

solute-and-examples-605922

Pruthu, Kala. (2014, October). Organic Solvents – Health Hazards [PDF Document]. Retrieved

October 29, 2018 from

https://www.jchps.com/specialissues/Special%20issue3/17%20jchps%20si3%20k.pruthu

%2083-86.pdf