Solubility is a term that describes how well a substance dissolves in another substance. The substance that is being dissolved is called the "solute" while the substance that is helping to dissolve the solute is called the "solvent." For example, sugar will dissolve in hot water; therefore, sugar is the solute and water is the solvent. Solubility percentage is the percentage of solute that dissolved in the solvent, and it's an easy calculation if you have a calculator.
- Pencil
- Paper
- Calculator
Write down how much of a solute you are going to dissolve in a solvent. As an example, you are going to dissolve 10 grams of table salt.
Write down how much solvent you are going to use to dissolve the solute. As an example, you are going to use 60 grams of warm water.
Divide the solute figure by the solvent figure. In the example, you would divide 10 by 60 and get a result of approximately 0.167.
Multiply the result from Step 3 by 100 to determine the solubility percentage. In the example, you would multiply 0.167 by 100 and get 16.7. When dissolving salt, the water has a solubility percentage of 16.7%.
Things You'll Need
References
About the Author
Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jordan Whitehouse has been writing on food and drink, small business, and community development since 2004. His work has appeared in a wide range of online and print publications across Canada, including Atlantic Business Magazine, The Grid and Halifax Magazine. Whitehouse studied English literature and psychology at Queen's University, and book and magazine publishing at Centennial College.
Photo Credits
Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images