Final answer:
Temperature increases generally lead to faster dissolution rates, as the increased kinetic energy of solvent molecules causes them to collide with solute more frequently and with greater force, as demonstrated when sugar dissolves more rapidly in hot water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The temperature of a solution can have a significant effect on the rate of dissolution and the solubility of a solute. An increase in temperature generally leads to an increase in the solubility of most solutes in a solvent. This is because heating up a solvent gives the molecules more kinetic energy. The molecules move faster and collide with the solute more frequently and with greater force, which can result in a faster dissolution rate. An example to illustrate this concept is that sugar tends to dissolve more rapidly in hot water than it does in cold water. The increased energy allows for a greater amount of sugar to dissolve, which demonstrates the hypothesis that higher temperatures can increase the rate at which solutes dissolve in a solution.