What does the results table indicate about the solute in this solution?

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline Temp [tex]$\left({ }^{\circ} C \right)$[/tex] & \begin{tabular}{c}
Concentration \\
{[tex]$\left[\begin{array}{c}\text { g solute } \\
\text { mL solvent }\end{array}\right.$[/tex]}
\end{tabular} \\
\hline 69.2 & 1.22 \\
\hline 58.1 & 1.08 \\
\hline 43.4 & 0.92 \\
\hline 31.5 & 0.77 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

A. The solute is a SOLID because the amount dissolved DECREASES as temperature decreases.

B. The solute is a SOLID because the amount dissolved INCREASES as temperature decreases.

C. The solute is a GAS because the amount dissolved INCREASES as temperature decreases.

D. The solute is a GAS because the amount dissolved DECREASES as temperature decreases.



Answer :

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.