Types of Solutions

Solutions are part of our day-to-day life, as they are present in every common thing you generally use in your everyday life, like soda, deodorant that you put, sugar, salt, etc., are some general examples of Solutions. Basically, a solution is a type of mixture in which two or more substances mix together to form a single solution; we can also say that it is simple and may or may not have changed their respective properties.

Components of Solution

Two components - Solute and Solvent combine to form any solution in a Homogeneous mixture. A solute is a substance that consists of a lesser quantity in the solution which gets dissolved in the solvent, which is present in a higher quantity than solute. The state of the solvent usually determines the final state of the homogeneous solutions, though the state of solute does not make any difference in the solution as long as they are soluble in the solvent.

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Classification of Solutions

Matter can basically be classified as elements, compounds, Mixtures, but a solution comes only under Mixtures. On the basis of the nature of components, mixtures can be classified into two types: Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixtures. A homogeneous mixture can also be said as a Solution. The mixture having components of any state that shows the same properties throughout any given sample is known as a Homogeneous mixture. Heterogeneous is simply any mixtures that are not based on a single composition.

Examples of homogeneous solutions are a cup of coffee, perfume, salt, or sugar in water, etc., and the examples of heterogeneous solutions are a solution of oil and water, a solution of sand and water, a solution of chalk powder, and water, etc. The substances having the same homogeneous phase in all properties are called completely miscible in one another, but if the substances are insoluble in each other, then they are called immiscible. An example of miscible is ethanol & water, and the Example of Immiscible is oil & water.

Characteristics of Solutions 

Characteristics of solutions can be stated as Follows:

1. A solution is the Homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.

2. Once a solution is formed, the solute cannot be separated from the solution with the process of Filtration.

3. A beam of light is not allowed to pass through the solution.

4. A human eye cannot see the particles of the solute inside the solution.

5. A solution is stable and consists of only a single phase.

Formation of Solution: A Physical Process

The combination of Solute and solvent to form a solution is a physical process and not a chemical process. Solute and solvent both can be retrieved back through separation methods in a chemically unchanged form, which can be shown through the following example of solid Zinc nitrate dissolving in water to form the aqueous solution of Zinc nitrate.

Zn(NO₃)₂(s) + H₂O(l) Zn²⁺ (aq) + 2NO₃^- (aq)

In the above reaction, Zn(NO₃)₂ can be recovered easily with the help of the evaporation (evaporation of water) process. So, we can say that dissipation of solute in a solvent to form a solution does not include a chemical process.

Types of Solutions

There are different types of solutions that can be classified on a different basis like the difference in the solute and solvent, number of criteria, etc., which can be shown as follows:-

1. Different types of Solutions on the basis of water as Solvent

Solutions can be classified into two types on the basis of whether the solution is water or not.

1. Aqueous Solution

The solution in which any state of homogeneous compound completely dissolves in water, in which water acts as a solvent. Examples of this kind of solution are sugar/ salt in water, carbon dioxide in water.

2. Non-Aqueous Solution

These solutions are basically the opposite of the Aqueous solution, as the solvent available in it is not water; it could be anything else like, petrol, benzene, ether, etc. Examples of this kind of solution include phenolphthalein in benzene, sulfur in carbon disulfide, etc.

2. Different types of Solutions on the basis of an amount of solute added

Solutions can be classified into three types on the basis of the amount of solute present in the solution.

1. Saturated Solutions

A solution is said to be saturated only if it reaches its limit to dissolve any more solute in the solvent at a definite temperature.

2. Unsaturated Solutions

If the solution can still dissolve more solute in solvent, then it is said to be the unsaturated solution.

3. Supersaturated Solutions

The solution in which solute is present in an excess amount, and is dissolved in the solvent forcefully by raising the temperature, is called the Supersaturated Solutions. These excess solute particles are later found in the form of crystals with the help of the crystallization process.

3. Different types of solutions on the basis of an amount of solvent added

Solutions can be classified into two types on the basis of the amount of solvent present in the solution.

1. Concentrated Solutions

Large amounts of solute are added to the given solvent to give concentrated solutions.

2. Dilute Solutions

A solution having a small amount of solute in a large amount of solvent is called Dilute Solutions.

4. Different types of solutions on the basis of the amount of concentration of solute in two solutions

Solutions can be classified into three types based on the concentration of the solvent in two solvents (in a beaker and a cell in it) in the solution.

1. Hypertonic Solutions

Hypertonic Solutions are those types of solutions in which the concentration of the solute in a beaker is higher than that of in the cell, so water comes out of the cell, making the cell plasmolyze/ shrink.

2. Hypotonic Solutions

Hypotonic Solutions are those solutions in which the concentration of solute in a beaker is less as compared to the cell, so the water will move into the cell, causing it to swell and burst afterward.

3. Isotonic Solutions

These Isotonic Solutions have the same concentration of solute in both beaker and cell, so the water will move around the cell in both directions.

Solutions can be distinguished on their ability to conduct electric current, as those solutions which contain molecules are called Non-conductors, while those solutions which contain ions are known as conductors.

The substances which dissolve in water and break into the form of ions are called electrolytes, while those substances which dissolve in water but do not form ions are called Non-electrolytes. These ion-forming substances, which conduct electric current in solutions, known as electrolytes, can be further classified into Strong electrolytes and Weak electrolytes.

• Strong Electrolyte

Strong electrolytes are available only in the form of ions, as it makes the light bulb glow brilliantly on the conductivity apparatus (which is used to check the electric current in the solution). NaCl is a good example of a Strong electrolyte.

• Weak Electrolyte

The solutions which contain only a few ions are known as weak electrolytes, which makes the light bulb glow dimly on the conductivity apparatus. Weak acids and basis are good examples of weak electrolytes.

Examples of solutions

Some Examples of the Solutions are Listed Below

Summary

A solution is a mixture of two or more substances, which is referred to as homogenous. Any state of matter (solid, liquid, or gas) can act as both a solvent and a solute during the creation of a solution. As a result, there are nine different types of solutions depending on the physical states of the solute and solvent.