How does increasing the temperature generally affect the rate at which a solute dissolves in a solvent?

• A. It causes the solute to precipitate out of solution.
• B. It has no effect on the rate of dissolution.
• C. It decreases the rate of dissolution.
• D. It increases the rate of dissolution.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the rate of dissolution refers to how quickly a solute dissolves in a solvent to form a solution.
2. Recall that temperature affects molecular motion: as temperature increases, the kinetic energy of molecules increases, causing them to move faster.
3. Faster molecular motion means solvent molecules collide with the solute more frequently and with greater energy, which helps break solute particles apart more quickly.
4. Therefore, increasing temperature generally increases the rate at which the solute dissolves because the solute particles separate and disperse into the solvent faster.
5. This explains why the correct answer is that increasing temperature increases the rate of dissolution, rather than causing precipitation, having no effect, or decreasing the rate.