---
title: "A student measures the solubility of \\(\\text{O}_2\\text{(g)}\\) and \\(\\text{SO}_2\\text{(g)}\\) in pure water at \\(293\\text{ K}\\) and a constant partial pressure of \\(1.0\\text{ atm}\\), obtaining the data presented in the table below.  | Gas | Molecular geometry | Polarity | Solubility at \\(293\\text{ K}\\) (\\(\\text{mol/L}\\)) | | :— | :— | :— | :— | | \\(\\text{O}_2\\) | Linear | Nonpolar | \\(1.4 \\times 10^{-3}\\) | | \\(\\text{SO}_2\\) | Bent | Polar | \\(1.5\\) |  If the temperature of both saturated aqueous solutions is raised to \\(333\\text{ K}\\) while maintaining a constant partial pressure of \\(1.0\\text{ atm}\\) for each gas, which of the following correctly predicts the outcome on the solubility of each gas and provides the best justification based on intermolecular forces?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123647/"
date_modified: "2026-09-28T12:01:53+00:00"
---

# A student measures the solubility of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) and \(\text{SO}_2\text{(g)}\) in pure water at \(293\text{ K}\) and a constant partial pressure of \(1.0\text{ atm}\), obtaining the data presented in the table below.

| Gas | Molecular geometry | Polarity | Solubility at \(293\text{ K}\) (\(\text{mol/L}\)) |
| :— | :— | :— | :— |
| \(\text{O}_2\) | Linear | Nonpolar | \(1.4 \times 10^{-3}\) |
| \(\text{SO}_2\) | Bent | Polar | \(1.5\) |

If the temperature of both saturated aqueous solutions is raised to \(333\text{ K}\) while maintaining a constant partial pressure of \(1.0\text{ atm}\) for each gas, which of the following correctly predicts the outcome on the solubility of each gas and provides the best justification based on intermolecular forces?

A student measures the solubility of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) and \(\text{SO}_2\text{(g)}\) in pure water at \(293\text{ K}\) and a constant partial pressure of \(1.0\text{ atm}\), obtaining the data presented in the table below.

| Gas | Molecular geometry | Polarity | Solubility at \(293\text{ K}\) (\(\text{mol/L}\)) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| \(\text{O}_2\) | Linear | Nonpolar | \(1.4 \times 10^{-3}\) |
| \(\text{SO}_2\) | Bent | Polar | \(1.5\) |

If the temperature of both saturated aqueous solutions is raised to \(333\text{ K}\) while maintaining a constant partial pressure of \(1.0\text{ atm}\) for each gas, which of the following correctly predicts the outcome on the solubility of each gas and provides the best justification based on intermolecular forces?

- **A.** The solubility of \(\text{SO}_2\text{(g)}\) will increase while the solubility of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) will decrease, because thermal energy enhances the formation of dipole-dipole attractions between \(\text{SO}_2\) and \(\text{H}_2\text{O}\) while disrupting weak dispersion forces with \(\text{O}_2\).
- **B.** The solubility of both gases will decrease, because increasing the temperature increases the average kinetic energy of the dissolved molecules, allowing a greater fraction to overcome solute-solvent attractive forces and escape into the gas phase.
- **C.** The solubility of both gases will increase, because higher temperatures expand the volume of liquid \(\text{H}_2\text{O}\), creating larger spaces between solvent molecules that accommodate more gas particles.
- **D.** The solubility of \(\text{SO}_2\text{(g)}\) will decrease while the solubility of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) will remain unchanged, because the nonpolar \(\text{O}_2\) molecules experience only dipole-induced dipole interactions with water that are independent of thermal motion.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123647/*