Which factor explains why a cube of sugar placed in water will dissolve at a slower rate than granular sugar over time?
a
The cube has a smaller surface area.
b
The particles in the cube have more movement.
c
The mass of the cube decreases.
d
The temperature of the cube decreases.
a) The cube has a smaller surface area.
a
The cube has a smaller surface area.
The correct answer is a) The cube has a smaller surface area.
When a cube of sugar is placed in water, the rate at which it dissolves depends on several factors. One of these factors is the surface area of the sugar that is exposed to the water. The more surface area there is, the faster the sugar will dissolve.
In the case of a cube of sugar, only the outer layer of the cube is exposed to the water initially. As the water dissolves the sugar on the surface of the cube, the cube gradually gets smaller, exposing more surface area. This means that the rate of dissolution starts off slower because only a small portion of the sugar is in direct contact with the water. As time goes on, more and more of the sugar cube is exposed to the water, increasing the rate of dissolution.
On the other hand, granular sugar has already been broken down into smaller particles, resulting in a larger total surface area. Each individual grain of sugar has its own surface area exposed to the water. This larger surface area allows the water to come into contact with more sugar particles, leading to a faster rate of dissolution compared to a sugar cube.
Therefore, the smaller surface area of the sugar cube is the factor that explains why it will dissolve at a slower rate than granular sugar over time.