Lesson 3.

Types of Solutions

General Chemistry 2
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Solutions are homogeneous mixtures that appear as one
phase.

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Solutions are
composed of solute
particles dissolved in
an appropriate
solvent.
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There are different
types of solutions.
They can be classified
based on the phases
of its components,
saturation, and
concentration.
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 Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

Describe the different types of solutions

(STEM_GC11PP-IIId-f-110).

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 Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

● Describe solutions in terms of their components.

● Classify solutions based on the phases of its

components, saturation, and concentration.

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What are the different types
of solutions?

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 Solute, Solvent, and Solution

Solution
● a homogeneous mixture
of two or more pure
substances
● consists of a solute and a
solvent

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How are solutions
classified?

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 Classification of Solutions

Solutions may be classified based on the:

● phase of the solvent

● saturation
● concentration

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 Types of Solutions Based on the Solvent Phase

Liquid Solutions
● solutions where the solvent is
a liquid
● most common type
● solid-liquid solution, liquid-
liquid solution, or a gas-
liquid solution
seawater

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 Types of Solutions Based on Solvent Phase

Phase of the
Solute Solvent resulting Examples
solution
solid brine (salt in water)
rubbing alcohol
liquid liquid liquid
(ethanol in water)
gas carbonated drinks

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 Types of Solutions Based on the Solvent Phase

Solid Solutions
● solutions where the solvent is solid
● solid-solid solution, liquid-solid solution, or a gas-
solid solution
● e.g., H2 gas trapped in palladium metal

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 Types of Solutions Based on Solvent Phase

Different types of solid solutions and their examples

Phase of the
Solute Solvent resulting Examples
solution
solid brass (zinc in copper)
amalgam (mercury in
liquid
solid solid gold)
hydrogen gas in
gas
palladium metal
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 Types of Solutions Based on the Solvent Phase

Gaseous Solutions
● solutions where the solvent is gas
● solid-gas solution, liquid-gas solution, or a gas-gas
solution
● e.g., air

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 Types of Solutions Based on Solvent Phase

Phase of the
Solute Solvent resulting Examples
solution
camphor in nitrogen
solid
gas
gas gas
liquid water vapor in the air
gas air
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 Types of Solutions Based on Saturation

● classifying solutions based on the amount of solute

dissolved in a given amount of solvent at a specific
temperature

● solubility at a specific temperature must be

considered

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 Types of Solutions Based on the Solvent Phase

Unsaturated Solution
The amount of solute is less than the solute’s solubility at a
given volume and temperature.

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 Types of Solutions Based on the Solvent Phase

Saturated Solution
The amount of solute is equal to the solute’s solubility at a
given volume and temperature.

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 Types of Solutions Based on the Solvent Phase

Supersaturated Solution
● the amount of solute is greater than the solute’s
solubility at a given volume and temperature
● done by dissolving a solute at a higher temperature,
and subsequently cooling it down
● unstable → agitation causes crystallization

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Liquid-Vapor Equilibrium

Crystallization in a supersaturated solution 21

Remember

In unsaturated solutions, the amount of

solute is less than the solubility capacity of
the solvent. In saturated solutions, the
amount of solute is equal to the solubility
capacity of the solvent. In supersaturated
solutions, the amount of solute is greater
than the solubility capacity of the solvent.

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How is crystallization different
from precipitation?

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 Types of Solutions Based on Concentration

Concentrated Solution
● when a solution contains an excessively large amount
of solute
● most common unit of concentration: molarity (M)
● molarities > 1 M
● used as stock solutions in preparing diluted solution

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 Types of Solutions Based on Concentration

Concentrated Solution

concentrated sulfuric acid = 18 M

glacial (concentrated) acetic acid =
17 M

Highly concentrated
solutions emit fumes. 25
 Types of Solutions Based on Concentration

Diluted Solution
● solution of low concentration
● prepared through the process of dilution
1. taking an aliquot (portion of the stock solution)
2. adding more solvent to lower the concentration

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 Check Your Understanding

Write true if the following statement is true.

Otherwise, write false.

1. A carbonated drink is an example of liquid-liquid

solutions.
2. Amalgam is a solution of liquid mercury in gold.
3. An aliquot has the same concentration as the stock
solution.

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 Check Your Understanding

Classify the following solutions based on the

classification scheme provided.

1. based on the phase of the solvent: air

2. based on concentration: 0.5 M potassium
permanganate, KMnO4
3. based on the phase of the solvent: rubbing alcohol

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● A solution is simply a homogeneous mixture of two or

more pure substances. It consists of a solute and a
solvent.
○ The pure substance present in lesser amounts is the
solute.
○ The more abundant substance is the solvent.

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● Solutions may be classified based on the phase of the

solvent, based on saturation, or based on
concentration.

● Liquid solutions are solutions where the solvent is a

liquid. Solid solutions are solutions where the solvent is
solid. Gaseous solutions are solutions where the
solvent is a gas.

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● A solution in which the amount of solute is less than the

solute’s solubility at a given volume and temperature is
called an unsaturated solution.

● A solution in which the amount of solute is equal to the

solute’s solubility at a given volume and temperature is
called a saturated solution.

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● A solution in which the amount of solute greater than

the solute’s solubility at a given volume and
temperature is called a supersaturated solution.

● Solutions can be classified as diluted and

concentrated. Solutions are concentrated when it
contains an excessively large amount of solute. A dilute
solution has a lower concentration than the
concentrated, stock solution.
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Challenge Yourself

Upon dilution, the concentration of

the new solution is lower than the
stock solution, but the number of
moles remains the same. How can
you justify this statement?

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Photo Credit

Slide 24: Nitric acid fuming by W. Oelen is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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Bibliography

Chang, Raymond, and Kenneth A. Goldsby. General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014.

Handwerker, Mark J. Science Essentials. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass, 2005.

Hawe, Alan, Dan Davies, Kendra McMahon, Lee Towler, Chris Collier, and Tonie Scott. Science 5–11: A Guide for Teachers.
2nd ed. New York, NY: David Fulton Publishers, 2009.

Petrucci, Ralph H. General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications. Toronto, Ont.: Pearson Canada, 2011.

Silberberg, Martin S. Principles of General Chemistry. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013.

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