To determine the nature of the solute from the given data, let’s analyze how the concentration of the solute changes with temperature:
[tex]\[
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline
\text{Temp} \left({ }^{\circ}C \right) & \text{Concentration} \left[\frac{\text{g solute}}{\text{mL solvent}}\right] \\
\hline
69.2 & 1.22 \\
\hline
58.1 & 1.08 \\
\hline
43.4 & 0.92 \\
\hline
31.5 & 0.77 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\][/tex]
Let’s observe how concentration changes as the temperature decreases:
- From [tex]\(69.2^\circ C\)[/tex] to [tex]\(58.1^\circ C\)[/tex], the concentration decreases from 1.22 to 1.08.
- From [tex]\(58.1^\circ C\)[/tex] to [tex]\(43.4^\circ C\)[/tex], the concentration further decreases from 1.08 to 0.92.
- From [tex]\(43.4^\circ C\)[/tex] to [tex]\(31.5^\circ C\)[/tex], the concentration decreases again from 0.92 to 0.77.
So, as the temperature decreases, the concentration of the solute in the solvent also decreases.
This behavior is typically characteristic of gases, where the solubility decreases with a decrease in temperature. Therefore, based on the data given:
- The solute is a GAS because the amount dissolved DECREASES as temperature decreases.
Thus, the correct conclusion regarding the solute is:
The solute is a GAS because the amount dissolved DECREASES as temperature decreases.