Question

Cut a lemon into two equal parts. Take the juice of each part into two separate beakers. Pour 10 ml of drinking water in one beaker and 20 ml in the second. Stir the solutions in both the beakers and taste them. Is there any difference in the tastes of the solutions in the two beakers? What is that difference?

Answer 1

Fig. Solution of lemon juice

• In the above activity, the sour taste of the solutions is because of the solute, lemon juice in them. 
• The quantity of the lemon juice is the same in both the solutions. Yet their tastes are different. 
• The solution in the first beaker is more sour than the one in the second. 
• Although the quantity of the solute is the same in both the solutions, the quantity of the solvent is different. 
• Ratio of the quantity of the solute to the quantity of the resulting solution is different. This ratio is larger for the solution in the first beaker and therefore that solution tastes more sour. 
• On the other hand, the proportion of the lemon juice in the total solution in the second beaker is smaller and taste is less sour. 
• The taste of foodstuff depends upon the nature of the taste-giving ingredient and its proportions in the foodstuff. 
• Similarly, all the properties of a solution depend on the nature of the solute and solvent and also on the proportion of the solute in a solution 
• The proportions of a solute in a solution is called the concentration of the solute in the solution.