Unit solubility refers to the unit used to express the amount of a solute that can dissolve in a solvent. According to the reference material, the unit commonly used to express solubility is gram per liter (g/L).
Therefore, when quantifying how much of a substance can dissolve, we typically express it as the number of grams of the substance that can dissolve in one liter of the solvent (usually water) at a specified temperature. This is essential for comparing the solubilities of different substances or the solubility of the same substance under varying conditions.
For example, if the solubility of sodium chloride (table salt) in water is given as 360 g/L at 20°C, it means that 360 grams of sodium chloride can dissolve in 1 liter of water at 20°C.
Other units can also be used, though less commonly, such as:
- mg/L (milligrams per liter) - Useful for very slightly soluble substances.
- ppm (parts per million) - Also used for very slightly soluble substances, particularly in environmental contexts.
- mol/L (moles per liter) - Represents the molar solubility, useful in thermodynamic calculations.
However, gram per liter (g/L) remains a frequently utilized and straightforward unit for expressing solubility.
