Does it ever occur to you that it took us more time to adjust just the right ratio of sugar in water for that perfect sweetness in lemonade? Do you remember making one on a Sunday afternoon on a hot summer day? At that time, the thing that mattered the most was to dissolve the sugar or salt without wondering about how solid materials are dissolved in liquids. What is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water? What are the total dissolved solids the same as salinity? Today, let’s discuss these topics and many more in this article.
1. What is Meant by Solution?
A mixture of the solute (minor part) in the solvent (major part) is known as the solution. In other words, the liquid solution is obtained after dissolving solid substances in it. For example, the salt solution has salt dissolved in water. (See What are Examples of Suspension?)
2. What is Solubility?
The ability of solid particles or materials to completely dissolve in water is known as solubility. It is the maximum amount of the substance that can dissolve in a given amount of water at a specific temperature. For example, only 2 tablespoons of sugar are soluble in a cup of water. Here, the solubility of sugar for a cup of water at room temperature is 2 tablespoons. Yet, there are chances of the solubility to increase or decrease with the changes in temperature. (See Is Air an Element, Compound, or Mixture?)
3. What are the Different Types of Soluble Substances?
It is not necessary for all substances to completely dissolve in water. There are certain substances that dissolve less than others while some do not dissolve at all. It defines the 3 types of soluble substances as mentioned below. Why not look at these before moving ahead to knowing what is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water?
- Highly Soluble: These substances dissolve completely and easily in water or other liquids. Salt and sugar are the most soluble substances.
- Sparingly Soluble: These are the substances that are less soluble in liquid or water or a small number of substance that needs large amounts of liquids to dissolve. Carbon oxalate monohydrate is a type of salt that is sparingly soluble.
- Insoluble: These substances do not dissolve in water at all no matter how long they are in the water they will stay as it is. Sand is one of those substances that cannot dissolve in water.
4. What is Saturation?
The capacity of holding as much moisture as possible by a solid substance is known as saturation. Here it can be of three types namely, saturated, unsaturated, and supersaturated solutions. Their brief description is mentioned below:
- Saturated: A solution is saturated after the maximum amount of solute (solid) has been dissolved in the solvent (water).
- Unsaturated: If less amount of solute is dissolved in the solvent the solution is said to be unsaturated.
- Supersaturated: The solution is supersaturated when the solvent was heated by raising its temperature and more than the normal amount of solute was dissolved in it and then the solution is cooled down.
5. What is the Total Amount of Solid Material Dissolved in Water?
The amount of solid material can differ depending on its size, solubility, and temperature of the water. So, what is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water? Here, the total amount of solid that is dissolved is known as the solubility of the substance. The total amount soluble in water can be obtained when there are no solid particles remaining in the water and the solid or liquid components do not separate when shaken. (See What are the Characteristics of an Element?)
6. What is the Background of the Total Dissolved Solids?
The term total dissolved solids (TDS) are used for substances occurring naturally and are composed of organic or inorganic compounds. The amounts of ions in water are also measured by total dissolved solids (TDS). Slats are the inorganic matter that comprises total dissolved solids (TDS) and it has magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, chlorides, sulfates, and bicarbonates. Out of this calcium, hydrogen, and sulfate are the major total dissolved solids (TDS) components. (See What is the Temperature of Water at Room Temperature?)
7. Is Total Dissolved Solids the Same as Salinity?
Salinity and total dissolved solids are two different terms used in reference to water and things soluble in it. The differences between the two terms are mentioned in the table below which you should consider after learning about what is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water.
| Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) | Salinity | |
| Define | It is the number of total solids dissolved in water naturally | It is the amount of salt that is dissolved in the water |
| Parameter | It is the measurement of all types of dissolved solid compounds in the water sample | It is the measure of the total amount of salt in the given water sample |
| Unit of Measurement | Parts per million (PPM) | Parts per thousand grams or kilogram |
8. Which Solid Materials are Dissolved in Liquids?
Though water has its own solutes that are naturally dissolved in it, there are still some solids that can be dissolved manually. It can be for drinking, cleaning, or experimenting purposes. It is interesting to know about solids after learning about what is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water. Here is a list of the solids that are most commonly dissolved in liquids.
- Propylparaben Sodium: In the manufacturing of cosmetic products, this crystalline powder is used as a preservative. It is soluble in water and is thus used mostly in aqueous solutions.
- Sodium Benzoate: The food industry uses this antiseptic salt as a preservative for various food items like sauces, fruit and vegetable trays, carbonated beverages, jellies, and margarine.
- Methylparaben Sodium: Medical field uses this water-soluble antiseptic as a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is used for sterilizing medical utensils.
- Household Disinfectants: Several disinfectants used in houses are dissolved in water to clean the house and its ceilings which are made of granite or ceramic.
- Sugar: It is highly soluble in water and thus used in sweetening foods, beverages, and desserts. In 1 liter of water, about 1330 grams (1 kilogram 330 grams) of sugar at 20° Celsius can be dissolved.
- Artificial sweeteners: Saccharin and aspartame are artificial sweeteners that have high-water solubility due to their chemical composition.
- Sodium Chloride: The common salt is another common solid that is highly water-soluble and is mostly used for household, culinary, and domestic purposes. About 359 grams of salt can easily be dissolved in 1 liter of water.
9. Which Factors affects Rate of Dissolving?
Do you remember what you read in what is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water? Well, the rate of dissolving is the time taken for the solid to completely dissolve in the liquid. Some solids like salt and sugar will eventually dissolve in the water sooner or later even without any extra try. But the rate of dissolving is influenced by various factors, out of which the most common are temperature, size of the particles, and stirring.
- Temperature: The rate of dissolving is influenced the most by the temperature of the liquid. It determines how fast or slow the particles will dissolve. Hot liquids will speed up the dissolving process in comparison to liquids at room temperature or cold ones. For example, the same amount of salt is added to a cup of hot water and chilled water. Hot water will dissolve the salt faster.
- Size of the Particles: This is another factor that can speed up or slow down the rate of dissolving. Try adding granulated (caster) sugar to a cup of water and put sugar cubes in another cup of water and watch. The granulated sugar will dissolve faster than the cubes. This happens because the small particles cover more surface area in comparison to one cube of sugar.
- Stirring: It helps to distribute the particles throughout the water which makes it easier for them to interact more with the liquid. Add sugar to the chilled water and then stir it. The dissolving process will be fast in comparison to when you did not stir it. The same is the case with hot water or liquid in which stirring will increase the dissolving process.
So, what is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water that turned out to be the naturally dissolved materials of water? Did you notice the factors influencing how fast or slow solid materials are dissolved in liquids? Moreover, the answer to total dissolved solids the same as salinity turned out to be the 3 differences between both terms. (See Which Best Describes the Dissolving Process?)
