soluble

Everyday

1. (science) Able to dissolve in a liquid, especially water, like sugar or salt. tree →
2. (of a problem) Able to be solved. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on mixtures pupils test which substances are soluble (salt, sugar, coffee) and which are insoluble (sand, chalk); a soluble solid seems to disappear but is still there, and can be got back by evaporation. In everyday life, soluble tablets dissolve in water; soluble aspirin fizzes.

Examples

• Sugar is soluble in water. tree →
• Sand is not soluble — it sinks to the bottom. tree →
• We tested which powders were soluble. tree →
• Mum dissolved a soluble tablet in a glass of water. tree →
• The puzzle looked hard, but it was soluble. tree →
• More sugar is soluble in hot tea than in cold tea. tree →

Note

Opposite: insoluble. Noun: solubility. Related verb: dissolve; solution (the mixture). Trap: dissolving is not melting — melting needs heat, dissolving needs a liquid. In maths-like science problems the mass is kept: 100 g water + 10 g salt makes 110 g of solution.