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Related Concept Videos

Solubility Equilibria: Overview01:09

Solubility Equilibria: Overview

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When a substance such as sodium chloride is added to water, it dissolves, forming an aqueous solution. The extent of dissolution is called solubility. The process of dissolution can exist in equilibrium, just like other chemical processes. Solubility equilibria are also called precipitation equilibria because the process of solubility can be reversible. The reverse of the solubility process is called precipitation.
Solubility is important in biological and environmental processes. A notable...
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Solution, Solubility, and Solubility Equilibrium
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules,...
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Entropy and Solvation02:05

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The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ...
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Imagine adding a small amount of sugar to a glass of water, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved, and then adding a bit more. You can repeat this process until the sugar concentration of the solution reaches its natural limit, a limit determined primarily by the relative strengths of the solute-solute, solute-solvent, and solvent-solvent attractive forces. You can be certain that you have reached this limit because, no matter how long you stir the solution, undissolved sugar remains. The...
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Liquid–Solid Solutions01:29

Liquid–Solid Solutions

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The process of a solid dissolving in a liquid to form a solution is governed by the solubility limit, which is the maximum amount of the solid substance, or solute, that can be dissolved in a specific volume of the liquid or solvent. As the solute dissolves, it reaches a point where no more solute can be dissolved at a given temperature - this is known as the saturation point. However, if further solute is added and it manages to dissolve, the solution becomes supersaturated. Supersaturated...
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Solubility Equilibria03:07

Solubility Equilibria

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Solubility equilibria are established when the dissolution and precipitation of a solute species occur at equal rates. These equilibria underlie many natural and technological processes, ranging from tooth decay to water purification. An understanding of the factors affecting compound solubility is, therefore, essential to the effective management of these processes. This section applies previously introduced equilibrium concepts and tools to systems involving dissolution and precipitation.
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Biomembrane Fabrication by the Solvent-assisted Lipid Bilayer SALB Method
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Preferential solvation: dividing surface vs excess numbers.

Seishi Shimizu1, Nobuyuki Matubayasi

  • 1York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York , Heslington, York YO10 5YW, United Kingdom.

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Summary

The Kirkwood-Buff (KB) theory precisely determines osmolyte effects on molecular assemblies by calculating excess solvation numbers. This clarifies limitations of osmotic stress techniques (OST) and crowding models, offering a universal approach.

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Area of Science:

  • Physical Chemistry
  • Biophysics
  • Chemical Thermodynamics

Background:

  • Osmolytes influence supramolecular assembly, including ion channel function and actin polymerization.
  • Understanding osmolyte-specific interactions is crucial for biological and chemical processes.
  • Existing methods like osmotic stress techniques (OST) have limitations in accurately describing these interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the effects of osmolytes on supramolecular assembly conformation and configuration.
  • To clarify the role of excess solvation numbers using the Kirkwood-Buff (KB) theory.
  • To critically evaluate and compare KB theory with OST and crowding models.

Main Methods:

  • Application of the exact solution theory of Kirkwood and Buff (KB).
  • Analysis of experimental data to determine excess solvation numbers.
  • Theoretical comparison of KB theory with the osmotic stress technique (OST) and crowding models.

Main Results:

  • Excess solvation numbers are determinable solely from experimental data via KB theory, as guaranteed by the phase rule.
  • OST is shown to be equivalent to the crowding effect when exact, where osmolyte exclusion dominates.
  • Crowding is not a universal driver for all osmolyte effects, such as actin polymerization.

Conclusions:

  • KB theory provides a rigorous framework for understanding osmolyte effects, clarifying limitations of older models.
  • The study highlights the importance of excess solvation numbers over hydration numbers for accurate predictions.
  • KB theory enables precise determination of excess numbers without additional assumptions, offering a universal approach.