ACS Chemistry Practice Exam 2026 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The relationship between temperature and the solubility of most ionic compounds is that solubility generally increases as temperature increases. This trend can be explained by considering the principles of dissolution and the energy changes involved.

When an ionic compound dissolves in a solvent, the process requires energy to break the ionic bonds in the solid state and to separate the water molecules to make space for the ions. Increasing temperature provides more kinetic energy to the system, which facilitates the breaking of these ionic interactions and allows for greater interaction between the solute and solvent molecules. As a result, at higher temperatures, more ionic compounds can dissolve in the solvent.

It's worth noting that while this trend applies to the majority of ionic compounds, there are exceptions. Some ionic compounds may have a solubility that decreases with increasing temperature, but these are not typically the rule in the context of general solubility trends. The overall principle holds that for most ionic substances, elevated temperatures lead to increased solubility.