A student observed that the temperature of water

increased when a salt was dissolved in it. The

student should conclude that dissolving the salt

caused

A.

formation of an acidic solution

B.

formation of a basic solution

C.

an exothermic reaction

D. an endothermic reaction

Increasing temperature increases the solubility of most salts, but not all. The reason for the differences is that dissolution involves three steps: breaking bonds of salt in the lattice; forming cavities in water the same size as the ions; interacting the salt with water in the cavity.

conduction is the transfer of thermal energy (heat in transfer) due to collisions between the molecules in the object. collisions between adjacent atoms and molecules transfer kinetic energy from the warmer to the cooler object. the objects must be in physical contact.