Which of the following changes will decrease the total amount of gaseous solute able to be dissolved in a liter of liquid water?
increasing temperature
increasing pressure
decreasing surface area
decreasing temperature
Most gases are more soluble in cold water than hot water.
To determine which of the following changes will decrease the total amount of gaseous solute able to be dissolved in a liter of liquid water, we need to consider the factors that affect solubility.
1. Increasing temperature: Increasing the temperature of the solvent (in this case, water) generally decreases the solubility of gases. This is because gases are more soluble at lower temperatures. So, increasing the temperature will not decrease the total amount of gaseous solute able to be dissolved in water.
2. Increasing pressure: Increasing the pressure of the system will generally increase the solubility of gases in liquids. This is known as Henry's Law, where increasing the pressure increases the concentration of the gas in the liquid. So, increasing the pressure will not decrease the total amount of gaseous solute able to be dissolved in water.
3. Decreasing surface area: The surface area does not directly affect the solubility of gases in liquids. Decreasing the surface area will not decrease the total amount of gaseous solute able to be dissolved in water.
4. Decreasing temperature: As mentioned earlier, decreasing the temperature of the solvent (water) generally increases the solubility of gases. So, decreasing the temperature will decrease the total amount of gaseous solute able to be dissolved in water.
Therefore, the correct answer is decreasing temperature.