Question

Describe what will happen if a crystal of sugar is added to (a) a saturated sugar solution, (b) a supersaturated solution of sugar, and (c) an unsaturated solution of sugar.

Short answer

In a saturated sugar solution, the sugar crystal will not dissolve; in a supersaturated solution, it will cause crystallization; and in an unsaturated solution, the sugar crystal will dissolve until saturation is reached.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding a Saturated Sugar Solution

A saturated solution is a solution in which the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved at a given temperature. No more solute can be dissolved at this stage without changing the conditions of the solution (such as temperature).

Behavior in a Saturated Solution

If a crystal of sugar is added to a saturated solution, no additional sugar will dissolve because the solution has already reached its capacity to hold sugar at that temperature. The sugar crystal will remain intact.

Understanding a Supersaturated Sugar Solution

A supersaturated solution is one that holds more solute than would normally be possible at a given temperature. This is achieved by increasing the solubility of the solute by heating the solution and then allowing it to cool gradually.

Behavior in a Supersaturated Solution

If a crystal of sugar is added to a supersaturated solution, it will act as a point of nucleation. This will cause the excess sugar dissolved in the solution to begin to crystallize around the added sugar crystal.

Understanding an Unsaturated Sugar Solution

An unsaturated solution is one in which less solute is dissolved than the amount which can be dissolved at a given temperature. There is still room for more solute to be dissolved.

Behavior in an Unsaturated Solution

If a crystal of sugar is added to an unsaturated solution, the sugar will dissolve into the solution until the saturation point is reached—assuming that adding the crystal doesn't itself result in a saturated solution.

Key concepts

Solute and Solvent

In the realm of chemistry, a solution is a mixture where one substance (the solute) is dissolved in another (the solvent). A quintessential example is when sugar (solute) mixes with water (solvent) to form a sugary solution.

Imagine making lemonade: you start with water and add scoops of sugar. The water is the solvent, doing the dissolving, while sugar is the solute, the substance that is dissolved. The process by which the solute dissolves into the solvent is dictated by various factors, including temperature, pressure, and the nature of both the solute and solvent. In layman's terms, when we stir sugar into water, the sugar seems to disappear, but in fact, it breaks down into tiny particles that disperse uniformly throughout the water, creating a homogenous mixture that is sweet to taste.

Dissolution of Sugar

The dissolution of sugar in water is a common process that illustrates how solutes dissolve in solvents. When sugar is added to water, the sugar molecules attract water molecules through intermolecular forces.

These attractions play tug-of-war with the sugar crystals, pulling individual molecules away into the surrounding liquid. Over time, with enough stirring or shaking, the attractions between the water molecules and sugar become strong enough to pull all the sugar molecules away from the crystal and into the solution. This process continues until no more sugar molecules can be pulled into the solution, which is what we refer to as a saturated solution. Beyond this point, any additional sugar will just settle at the bottom unless we change the temperature to increase solubility, which leads us towards creating a supersaturated solution.

Crystallization Process

The crystallization process is the reverse of dissolution—where the solute comes out of the solvent and forms crystals. It begins when a supersaturated solution starts to lose its solute.

For instance, when a sugar solution is supersaturated, the extra sugar molecules are looking for a place to go, since the solution can no longer keep them dissolved. Introducing a small crystal, or 'seed', provides the perfect template upon which these excess sugar molecules can begin to settle and build, layer by layer. This process, known as crystallization, results in the growth of sugar crystals.

Crystallization is not just a clever science experiment—it's also the fundamental process behind the creation of rock candy and the formation of natural gemstones. It's a beautiful dance between solute and solvent, showcasing the conditions under which a substance can transition from dissolved to solid state.