South Pasadena • Honors Chemistry
Name
4 • Salts and Solutions
Period
Date
STUDY GUIDE
4.1 Solubility
Lesson Objectives
I can:
 describe a solution as a homogeneous mixture of a
solute and a solvent.
 describe whether a solution is saturated.
 predict whether two substances are miscible using
the "like dissolves like" idea.
 describe how ionic compounds ionize when they
dissolve in solution.
 use solubility rules to determine whether an ionic
compound ionizes in solution.
 explain how degree of ionization determines
electrolytic properties.
 predict whether a salt is soluble based on solubility
rules.
 predict how an increase of temperature affects
solubility.
 predict how an increase of pressure affects
solubility of a gaseous solute.
4.2 Concentration
Lesson Objectives
I can:
 calculate the moles of solute, volume of solution, or
concentration of a solution in molarity using the
definition of molarity.
 compare the concentration of two solutions
quantitatively and conceptually.
 describe how to prepare a solution with a given
concentration and volume.
 use the dilution formula to calculate the
concentration or volume of a stock or diluted
solution.
 describe how to dilute a solution to given
concentration.
 explain how the absorbance of a colored solution is
related to its concentration.
 determine the concentration of a solution given the
absorbances of solutions with known concentration,
using Beer's Law.
Reading Guide
Read sections 5.1, 5.8, and 14.2 (p. 180-186, 213-220,
645-656).
1. Define the following terms: aqueous solution,
solute, solvent, solution, electrolytes, strong
electrolytes, weak electrolytes, nonelectrolytes.
2. Describe what happens on the particle level when
an ionic compound is dissolved in water (i.e.
describe Figure 5.1).
3. How is the way in which solutes dissolve related to
their ability to conduct electricity (electrolytic
property)? Give examples of strong electrolytes,
weak electrolytes, and nonelectrolytes.
4. Pay attention to the Solubility Rules (Figure 5.4).
Make sure you understand how to use this table.
5. Define molarity mathematically.
6. Define saturated and unsaturated solutions. Define
miscible and immiscible substances.
7. What does the phrase “like dissolves like” mean?
8. How does increasing pressure affect the solubility
of a gas? (Henry’s Law)
9. How does increasing temperature affect the
solubility of a gas? Of a solid?
4.3 Properties of Solutions
Lesson Objectives
I can:
 explain how degree of ionization determines
electrolytic properties.
 determine whether a substance is a strong, weak, or
non-electrolyte in an aqueous solution.
 provide examples of and describe common
properties of acids and bases (e.g. sour/bitter,
corrosive/caustic)
 determine whether a solution is acidic, neutral, or
basic using an indicator (e.g. cabbage juice,
phenolphthaelin, or litmus) or by its
pH/pOH/[H+]/[OH–].
 determine whether a substance is a salt, an acid, or
a base in an aqueous solution, and write an equation
for how it ionizes in solution.
 determine whether an acid or base is strong or weak
by recalling the strong acids.
 describe the difference between strong and weak
acids/bases (e.g. molecular description, degree of
ionization, electrolytic properties)
 describe acids and bases using the Bronsted-Lowry
definition.
 identify the acid, base, conjugate acid, and
conjugate base in a Brønsted-Lowry acid-base
reaction.
 write the conjugate base given an acid, and vice
versa.
 explain the degree to which water autoionizes using
its Kw.
 find the pH, pOH, [H+], and [OH–] of a solution.
4.4 Describing Solutions
Lesson Objectives
I can:
 find the concentration of all dissolved species and
the pH for a strong acid or a strong base.
 describe weak acid/base solutions as an equilibrium
between molecular compounds and ionized
particles and write the equation for the physical
process.
 write the expression for the Ka (for a weak acid), Kb
(for a weak base), or Ksp (for an insoluble salt).
 compare the strength of weak acids or bases using
their Ka or Kb.
 find the concentration of all dissolved species, the
pH, and percent ionization for a weak acid or a
weak base given the Ka or Kb.
 find the concentration of all dissolved species for a
soluble salt solution.
 find the concentration of all dissolved species and
the solubility for an insoluble salt solution given the
Ksp.
Reading Guide
Read sections 5.3, 5.4, 14.3, 17.1- 17.3, and 17.6 (p.
192-200, 656-671, 786-796, 803-811).
1. Define an acid and a base. Describe typical
properties of acids and bases.
2. What is the difference between a strong acid and a
weak acid?
3. What is a neutralization reaction, and how does it
take place? Give an example.
4. What happens to the freezing point and boiling
point when a solute is added to a solvent? Why?
5. How do Arrhenius and Brønsted-Lowry define an
acid and a base?
6. Write the reaction for how water autoionizes.
Reading Guide
7. Give three examples of conjugate acid-base pairs.
Read sections 17.4, 17.5, 17.7, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, and
8. Write the expression for the Kw. Describe the
19.4 (p. 796-803, 811-818, 877-884).
[H3O+] and [OH−] for acidic, neutral, and basic
solutions.
9. Write the definitions of the pH and pOH. How can
the pH or the pOH tell you how acidic a solution
is?
10. What is an indicator? To what colors do methyl red
and phenolphthalein change in acid or base
solutions?