Q&A for How to Dissolve Salt in Water

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Should I use hot water for this experiment?

Community Answer

Hot water will make the salt dissolve more easily, but you don't have to use hot water if you don't want to.

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Question

How do I find the solubility of the salt in a given amount of water?

TomPN

Top Answerer

Measure out a fixed amount of water (e.g., 1 liter). Add salt one gram at a time, stirring until it completely dissolves. Repeat until no more will dissolve. With table salt and pure water, you should get around 350-360 grams of salt per liter of water to dissolve.

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Question

How do I know when the salt is dissolved?

Akshithaa

Community Answer

The water will be clear, without any residue in the bottom of the glass.

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Is there a certain point where the salt won't dissolve into the water anymore? I've waited a day and there is still salt at the bottom of the glass.

TomPN

Top Answerer

Yes, there is. Salts have a property called "solubility", which is a measure of how much it will dissolve. For example, sodium chloride (table salt) has a solubility in water of 359g/L, so you can dissolve 359g of salt in a liter of pure water. Any more won't dissolve. You can heat it up, which will make more of it dissolve, but when it cools down you will have a supersaturated solution, where the salt will spontaneously crystalize if the solution is disturbed.

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Question

Is the salt still there when I dissolve it?

Community Answer

Yes, it has just incorporated with the water. If you distill the water or allow it to evaporate, the salt will be left behind.

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Question

When sodium chloride dissolves in water, what color will it be?

Ssongsammy

Community Answer

The water remains colourless. You may want to add paint, or use Fe3+ for red, Cu2+ for blue, etc. if you want to see a color change.

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Question

Will it stay dissolved? I want to put it in a spray bottle and use it as seasoning. Here in Yucatan Mexico, our high humidity makes shakable salt a lost cause.

Ssongsammy

Community Answer

Yes, as long as you put your solution in a container to reduce vapouration. If the lid is left open, though, it may dry up.

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How long does it take for salt to dissolve in cold tap water?

Ssongsammy

Community Answer

Less than 10 seconds. You can heat it, stir it or add smaller batches for better results.

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How do I measure salt in water?

Ssongsammy

Community Answer

Use a salinity meter for accurate results, or use a density meter for an estimation.

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