Chemistry and Solutions for Nursing School Entrance Exam Study Guide

Practice questions for this study guide can be found at:

Chemistry and Solutions for Nursing School Entrance Exam Practice Problems

1. Properties

Solution is a homogeneous mixture.

Solute is a substance dissolved in a solvent.

Solvent is a medium in which a solute is dissolved.

Solvation is the process of dissolving solute molecules in a solvent.

2. Solubility

Solubility is the maximum amount of solute (in grams) that can be dissolved in a certain amount of solvent (in ml) at a particular temperature.

1. Pressure

Solubility increases with pressure for a gas immersed in a liquid. Solubility of solids and liquids does not vary significantly with pressure.

2. Temperature

Solubility of most solids and liquids increases with increasing temperature while decreasing for gases dissolved in liquids (gas molecules tend to escape).

3. Concentration of Solutions

Percent concentration expresses the concentration as a ratio of the weight (or the volume) of the solute over the weight (or the volume) of the solution. This ratio is then multiplied by 100.



4. Molarity

Molarity (M) expresses the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. A 0.1 M NaOH aqueous (water) solution has 0.1 mol of solute (NaOH) in 1 liter of water.

5. Dilution

M_iV_i = M_fV_f (i = initial; f = final) established the equivalence between the initial and final concentrations. In dilution, equivalence must be achieved between the initial and final concentrations.

6. Colloids

Colloids are stable mixtures in which particles, of rather large sizes (ranging from 1 nm (nanometer) to 1 (micrometer) are dispersed throughout another substance. Aerosol (liquid droplets or solid particles dispersed in a gas) such as fog can scatter a beam of light. This is called the Tyndall effect.

7. Water
   1. Properties

   Water is the most abundant (and important, besides oxygen) substance on Earth. The O-H bonds are highly polar, and water forms networks of hydrogen bonds. It is found in large amounts in cells and blood. Water is an excellent solvent and has a high boiling point, high surface tension, high heat of vaporization, and low vapor pressure.

   2. High Heat Capacity and High Heat of Vaporization

   Heat capacity is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1° Celsius. Water has high heat capacity, absorbing and releasing large amounts of heat before changing its own temperature. It thus allows the body to maintain a steady temperature even when internal and/or external conditions would increase body temperature.

   Heat of vaporization is the heat required to evaporate 1 gram of a liquid. Water's large heat of vaporization (540 calories/gram) requires large amounts of heat in order to vaporize it into gas. During perspiration, water evaporates from the skin and large amounts of heat are lost.

   3. Reactivity

   Water is not reactive with most substances, so it can serve to transport substances in the body. It takes part in most metabolic transformations (hydrolysis and dehydration reactions).

You Should Review

• the characteristics of solutions and the properties of true solutions
• the types of solutions and how they compare
• saturated solutions
• supersaturated solutions
• dilute solutions
• concentrated solutions
• how water dissolves ionic compounds
• how water dissolves covalent compounds
• hydrates

Practice questions for this study guide can be found at:

Chemistry and Solutions for Nursing School Entrance Exam Practice Problems