Solute, Solvent and Solution

Lab Brief #1

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

Color changes mean atoms are rearranging — even if you can't see them.

What you'll learn

The solute dissolves, the solvent does the dissolving, and together they form a solution. Dissolving is a physical change: the solute particles disperse between solvent particles but are chemically unaltered, which is why evaporation recovers them.

Key words

solvent
The substance that dissolves a solute to form a solution.
dissolving
The dispersal of solute particles among solvent particles, a physical change.

Make a hypothesis first

Before you mix: what color do you think it'll turn?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

balance
salt
water
beaker
evaporating basin
tripod
gauze
Bunsen burner

Get ready

⚠️ Safety first

Stop heating while a little liquid remains — a basin taken to dryness can crack and spit.
Use tongs; the basin stays hot long after the flame is out.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Think about what you just learned: say what "solvent" and "dissolving" mean in your own words before you start.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Dissolve a weighed mass of salt in a weighed mass of water and reweigh the whole solution. Then evaporate a portion to dryness and recover the salt, comparing the recovered mass with what you started with.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Question 1 of 2

In salt water, the solvent is:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

Dissolving is classed as a physical change because the solute:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🌈 Every color you see is your brain inventing a translation of light frequencies.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 2 right.

Next: Solubility and Temperature All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: Your toothpaste, your soap, even your breakfast involves this.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Ask a grown-up to help you mix two safe kitchen things. Predict what will happen first.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's something we cook that mixes things together this way?”

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