Question

What is the effect of dissolved NaCl on the volume of the solvent water?

1) It increases the volume of the solvent water
2) It decreases the volume of the solvent water
3) It has no effect on the volume of the solvent water
4) The effect cannot be determined

Answer 1

Dissolving NaCl in water increases the volume of the solvent water.

Step-by-step explanation:

Dissolving NaCl in water results in an increase in the entropy of the system. Each hydrated ion forms an ordered arrangement with water molecules, which decreases the entropy of the system. However, the magnitude of the increase in entropy is greater than the magnitude of the decrease, so the overall entropy change for the formation of a NaCl solution is positive.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1: It increases the volume of the solvent water. The entropy shift demonstrates how systems tend toward greater disorder, the intricate balance between molecular arrangements, and the net rise in disorder despite local order formations.