Researched by Jonathan N.
2003-04

• PURPOSE 
• HYPOTHESIS 
• EXPERIMENT DESIGN 
• MATERIALS 
• PROCEDURES 
• RESULTS 
• CONCLUSION 

• RESEARCH REPORT 
• BIBLIOGRAPHY 
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Dissolving is used for a great amount of things. It is used by cooks for seasonings and dishes, when preparing laxatives and pain relievers, largely by factories for products, and continuously by scientists for experiments.

Solubility is very important and is used for a lot of important purposes. Without solubility, nothing would dissolve. Some solutions are very important. Baking soda, for example, is used for cleaning, deodorizing, to relieve heartburn, acid indigestion, sour stomach, and upset stomach.

Epsom salt is used for a laxative and for bathing. Without solubility, baking soda and Epsom salt would be almost useless, along with other substances. 
 
 

Dissolving is when a substance merges with a liquid and passes into solution. A solution is a mixture of two or more substances that cannot be separated. A solvent is the substance in which the solute is being dissolved.

The solute is the substance being dissolved in the solvent. A solution becomes saturated when it is no longer able to dissolve any more solute. This is called a saturated solution. 

Chemically, water is H2O. Water molecules are formed when two hydrogen molecules and 1 oxygen molecule combine.
 
 

Water is a great solvent for many substances. It is able to attach itself to positive and negative ions, like sodium and chlorine from the compound sodium chloride. That is why different salts dissolve in a water solution. Water can, in the same way, dissolve polar molecules, like ethyl alcohol. 

Water can also dissolve gases. The two most important gases found dissolved in water are carbon dioxide and oxygen. Pure water is unable to penetrate limestone, but when mixed with carbon dioxide, it is able to penetrate it, along with other hard substances. Water that has been combined with carbon dioxide has even carved the biggest underground caves and caverns.
 

When a substance is cold and does not come in contact with heat, the molecules move slowly. When the substance does come in contact with heat, the vibration becomes rapider and the molecules possess more energy of motion.
 

With the increasing temperature of the heat being received by the substance, its solubility increases. Basically, the higher the temperature, the higher the solubility of the substance.
 
 

Alum is the name of a particular group of double salts. Double salts consist of two simple salts. Alum is the double salt of hydrated potassium and aluminum sulfate. The compound is called potassium sulfate.

There are also other types of alum. Some are ammonium alum, sodium alum, and potassium chrome alum. Most alums are manufactured from bauxite. Some of alum’s uses are to make glue, dyes, baking powder, and leather tanning agents. Some of the industry uses are to purify water and harden plaster of Paris. 
 
 

Salt is a clear, brittle material that is used to preserve and flavor food. It is also used for the manufacture of a large number of chemicals and chemical products. Salt consists of sodium and chlorine. The chemical name for salt is sodium chloride and the mineral name is halite. The formula for salt is NaCl.

It forms clear crystals, mostly perfect cubes. The impurities in it make it appear white, gray, yellow, or red. The source of all salt is the brine of seas, lakes, etc. The deposits that are now underground were formed by the evaporation of seawater millions of years ago. It is necessary for good health. 

Human blood contains salt that is needed for cells to function properly, though studies show that salt or sodium compound can result in high blood pressure. For this reason, people attempt to reduce their sodium intake, and instead use substitutes that do not contain sodium.
 

Baking soda is a stomach alkalizer that soothes skin irritations. It is the source of carbon dioxide in baking powders and also in some fire extinguishers. It is a white, crystalline powder, also known as bicarbonate of soda. It is soluble in water and very slightly soluble in alcohol. 

Most acids decompose it. The major use of baking soda is foods. It is used in effervescent salts and is sometimes used to correct excess stomach acidity. Because it is less soluble than the carbonate, carbon dioxide is bubbled into a saturated solution of pure carbonate, and then it precipitates so it can be collected and dried.
 

Epsom salt is a white powder that, in the past, was commonly used as a laxative. It was mixed with water to form a solution for soaking inflamed body parts in. It was also used to temporarily relieve constipation. Now it is rarely used. It is the powder form of magnesium sulfate, and was named for Epsom, England, where it was first obtained.
 
 

Water is extremely important. It is used to dissolve substances humans often use. Dissolving is also very important. Heat speeds up the process of dissolving in water.

“Bicarbonate of Soda,” World Book Encyclopedia, 1998, Volume 2, p. 289

Busch, Marianna A.  "Alum," World Book Encyclopedia, 1998, Volume 1, p. 390.

Butt, John B., “Solution,” World Book Encyclopedia, 1998, volume 18, p. 587

Dean, Jr., Walter E.  “Salt,” World Book Encyclopedia,  1998, Volume 17, p. 72

Neufeldt, Victoria and Gurlanik, David B., Webster’s New World Dictionary: Third College Edition, New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, and Singapore, Prentice Hall, 1991, p. 397

Reed, Brian V. “Epsom Salt,” World Book Encyclopedia, 1998, Volume 6, p. 345

“Sodium Bicarbonate,” http://www.bartleby.com/65/so/sodiumbi.html, 1/21/04

“Water: The Universal Solvent”, The New Book of Popular Science 2000 Edition, Danbury, Connecticut, Grolier, 2000, 83 & 84