Why do gases nearly always tend to be less soluble in liquids as the temperature is raised? (Comptt. All India 2012)

The solubility of gases in liquids is governed by Henry's Law, which states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the pressure of the gas above the liquid. However, temperature also plays a role in this process.

Here are the steps to understand why gases tend to be less soluble in liquids as the temperature is raised:

1. At higher temperatures, the kinetic energy of gas molecules increases. This means that the gas molecules move faster.

2. Faster moving gas molecules are more likely to escape from the liquid into the air. This is because they can overcome the attractive forces from the liquid molecules more easily when they have more kinetic energy.

3. Therefore, as the temperature increases, more gas molecules escape from the liquid into the air, which decreases the solubility of the gas in the liquid.

4. This is different from the solubility of solids in liquids, which typically increases with temperature. This is because the increased kinetic energy helps to break down the solid and distribute its particles throughout the liquid.

5. So, in summary, gases are less soluble in liquids at higher temperatures because the increased kinetic energy of the gas molecules makes them more likely to escape from the liquid into the air.