This is concerning Le Chatelier's Principle and Equilbrium...
After I give a definition of what it means when it is said that salt is soluble and what is meant by insoluble, I am asked:
Why are these terms very broad and not very accurate?
Can someone start me on this... thanks.
fun stuff, chemistry. lol. Can't remember what Le Chatelier's Principle and Equilbrium is, but I would think it would be because you need to not only give the terms "soluble" and "insoluble" but tell why salt is soluble. Explain how the salt particles combine and attach themselves to the water particles, therefore breaking apart from the salt structure. Just saying something is soluble doesn't give alot of information, even if you give the defintion. Remember, in chemistry there are always reasons and (especially on tests and experiments) you are always better off explaining why things are the way they are.
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "Le Chatelier's Principle" to get these possible sources:
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/equilibria/lechatelier.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chatelier's_principle
http://www.ausetute.com.au/lechatsp.html
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch16/lechat.html
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/sciences/chemistry/Inorganicchemistry/Equilibrium/Chatelier/Chatelier.htm
I hope this helps a little more. Thanks for asking.
I think it means just what it says. Soluble may tell a little but it doesn't say HOW soluble. Is it 1 mg/L or 100 mg/L or 50 g/L? Same thing with insolubility. Just where do you draw the line between something that is soluble and something that is insoluble?
The terms "soluble" and "insoluble" are broad and not very accurate because they do not provide specific information about the degree of solubility or insolubility.
When we say that a substance is "soluble," it means that it can dissolve in a particular solvent, such as water. However, this term doesn't indicate how much of the substance can dissolve or the rate at which it dissolves. Different substances have different solubilities, and their solubilities can vary depending on factors such as temperature and pressure. So, simply stating that a substance is soluble doesn't give us a precise idea of its solubility properties.
Similarly, when we say that a substance is "insoluble," it means that it does not dissolve or has very limited solubility in a given solvent. However, the term itself doesn't define a specific limit or threshold for solubility. It doesn't tell us at what concentration the substance is considered insoluble. Again, the solubility of insoluble substances can vary, and there may exist a range of solubilities that can be classified as "insoluble."
To provide a more accurate description of solubility, we need to specify the concentration or amount of substance that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent under specific conditions. For example, we could say that a substance is "moderately soluble" if it dissolves at a concentration of 10-100 mg/L or "highly soluble" if it dissolves at a concentration greater than 1 g/L. This provides more precise information about the substance's solubility characteristics.
In summary, the terms "soluble" and "insoluble" are broad and not very accurate because they do not define specific limits or degrees of solubility. To provide a more precise description, it is necessary to specify the concentration or amount of substance that dissolves in a given solvent under specific conditions.