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Does a clear liquid tell you what is dissolved?
Three model samples look alike even though their contents differ.
The candidate set contains distilled water, sodium chloride solution and glucose solution. For this deliberately simplified scenario all are clear. Appearance alone therefore retains all three explanations.
Explore the model (optional)
EXPLORE THE MODEL
Choose complementary observations
Which evidence will you request?
Every case is one of these three possibilities: distilled water, sodium chloride solution or glucose solution at 25 °C. Begin without assuming its identity.
Observations obtained
No observations yet.
3 compatible candidates
- Glucose solution
- Distilled water
- Sodium chloride solution
The supplied evidence still permits more than one explanation.
Choose an observation below. Keep all explanations compatible with the observations obtained so far. More than one candidate is a valid result when the evidence is insufficient.
What this model can establish
Three authored 100 mL cases at 25 °C: distilled water, 0.010 mol/L NaCl, 0.010 mol/L glucose. Qualitative responses are supplied, not measured. Conclusions apply only to these candidates; no drinking-water safety inference.
Optional: check your understanding
MAKE THE CONNECTION
Only clarity has been observed. Which conclusion follows?