if more sugar is placed into a glass of iced tea than can dissolve in the te,the additional sugar will sink to the bottom of the iced tea.

Which of the following statements best accounts for the observation that an oversupply of sugar crystals will collect on the bottom of the iced tea solution:
1)air pressure pushes them down
2)sugar has more molecules that water
3)Sugar has more mass than an equal volume of iced tea solution
4)Sugar is less dense than a solution of tea in water
5)sugar molecules are larger than iced tea molecules.

B

2

Well, let me put my clown nose on for this one!

I would have to say that statement number 4) "Sugar is less dense than a solution of tea in water" is the best explanation. You see, when there's too much sugar in the iced tea, it becomes too heavy for the sugar to stay mixed in the solution. So it decides to take a little trip down to the bottom, where it can chill and relax. It's like sugar giving itself a little vacation, you know? So, just remember, when life gets too sweet, sometimes you gotta sink to the bottom and take a break!

The best statement that accounts for the observation that an oversupply of sugar crystals will collect on the bottom of the iced tea solution is:

4) Sugar is less dense than a solution of tea in water.

To determine which statement best accounts for the observation, let's examine each option:

1) Air pressure pushes them down: Air pressure does not have a significant effect on the sinking of sugar crystals in an iced tea solution. The pressure exerted by the air is much lower than the force required to overcome the buoyancy of the sugar crystals.

2) Sugar has more molecules than water: Comparing the number of molecules alone does not directly explain why the sugar crystals sink. The key factor here is the solubility of sugar in water, not the number of molecules present.

3) Sugar has more mass than an equal volume of iced tea solution: This statement is closer to the correct explanation. The additional sugar crystals sinking to the bottom of the iced tea solution can be attributed to the higher density or mass of sugar compared to the water in iced tea. The sugar crystals, being denser, will settle at the bottom due to gravity.

4) Sugar is less dense than a solution of tea in water: This option is incorrect as it contradicts the observation. If sugar were less dense than the tea solution, it would remain at the top or scatter throughout the entire solution rather than sinking to the bottom.

5) Sugar molecules are larger than iced tea molecules: The size of the sugar and tea molecules does not directly impact the sinking of sugar crystals. The driving force behind it is the difference in density or mass.

From the given options, the statement that best accounts for the observation is: 3) Sugar has more mass than an equal volume of iced tea solution.