Solubility from the Femtoscale to the Macroscale

摘要

Solubility is frequently introduced at the high school and introductory college levels through the symbolic domain using net ionic equations and solubility product constants. Students may become proficient with spectator ion cancellation and skilled with algorithmic mathematical applications of solubility without obtaining a deeper understanding of the underlying concept of solubility. We present a convenient chemical system that allows for rapid data collection through benchtop nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and simple evaporation experiments. NMR spectroscopy can measure the particulate-level properties of hydrogen nuclei, objects on the order of a femtometer in size. Solvent evaporation to macroscopic solute residue ties solubility back to a visual frame of reference for students. Data collected from these dissimilar methods of measurement lend themselves to relating the particulate, macroscopic, and symbolic domains of understanding in a hands-on laboratory setting.