What happens as you decrease the temperature of a solution?

Question

A.
The number of solute particles increases.
B.
The number of solute particles decreases.
C.
The rate of dissolution increases.
D.
The rate of dissolution decreases.
E.
The temperature has no effect on the rate of dissolution.

Answer 1

As the temperature of a solution decreases, the kinetic energy of the molecules decreases. This generally leads to a reduction in the rate at which solute particles are dissolved in the solvent. Therefore, the correct answer is:

D. The rate of dissolution decreases.