Which of the following will speed up the dissolving of a solid solute in water?

• A. Using larger pieces of the solute
• B. Adding more solute to the water
• C. Stirring the solution
• D. Decreasing the temperature of the water

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the rate of dissolving depends on factors that increase the interaction between solute and solvent particles.
2. Recognize that using larger pieces of solute decreases the surface area exposed to the solvent, which slows down dissolving.
3. Adding more solute does not speed up dissolving; it can lead to saturation and slower dissolution.
4. Stirring the solution increases the movement of solvent molecules around the solute, enhancing contact and speeding up dissolving.
5. Decreasing the temperature generally slows down molecular motion, reducing the rate of dissolving for most solids in water.