Lesson 3: Dissolving Fullerenes

Some substances dissolve in water, while others require a solvent with different properties. The general solubility rule is that likes dissolve likes. This means that the more alike in their bonding type a solute is to a solvent, the more likely the solvent will dissolve the solute. Are you ready to dissolve into this lesson?

Doing the science

1. Start the Buckyball Simulation by clicking on the "Sim" tab.
2. Click on the fullerene (C₆₀) container and drag a chunk to the empty beaker on the tabletop.
3. Click on the container of "Water."
4. Note and record in Table 1 whether or not the C₆₀ dissolved in the water.
5. Click the "Reset" button at the bottom of the screen.
6. Click on the fullerene (C₆₀) container and drag a chunk to the empty beaker
7. Click the container of "Benzene."
8. Note and record in Table 1 whether or not the C₆₀ dissolved in the benzene.