Would the density of a hot liquid be greater or less than a cold liquid?

1 Answer
Jun 14, 2017

Would not the #"density"# of the former solution BE GREATER than the latter solution?

Explanation:

#rho,# #"density"# #=# #"Mass of substance"/"Volume of solution"# and for chemists typically #rho# has units #g*mL^-1# or #g*cm^-3#.

In general (for condensed phases) #rho# DECREASES (marginally) with increasing temperature in that #"volume"# marginally increases while #"mass"# is a constant. In any case the colder solvent contains more solute particles by the problem's specification, and should thus be intrinsically denser.

And thus #rho_"cold water solution">rho_"hot water solution"#.