Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature Relationship

The amount of oxygen that can be dissolved in water is affected by several factors, including temperature. Understanding this relationship is crucial in various fields like environmental science and aquatic biology.

Analyzing Statement A: Cold water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm water.

This statement concerns the solubility of gases in liquids. Oxygen is a gas that dissolves in water. Generally, the solubility of gases in liquids decreases as the temperature of the liquid increases.

• Think about a fizzy drink. It stays fizzy (contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas) for longer when it's cold compared to when it's warm, where the gas bubbles out quickly.
• Similarly, oxygen is less soluble in warm water and more soluble in cold water.

Therefore, cold water has the capacity to hold a higher concentration of dissolved oxygen compared to warm water when both are saturated with oxygen. This makes Statement A correct.

Analyzing Statement B: Dissolved-oxygen concentration is independent of temperature of water.

This statement claims there is no relationship between the amount of dissolved oxygen and the temperature of water. However, as explained when analyzing Statement A, temperature has a significant impact on the solubility of oxygen in water.

• Gas solubility is inversely related to temperature.
• A change in water temperature directly affects the maximum amount of oxygen that can dissolve in it.

Since dissolved-oxygen concentration is clearly dependent on the temperature of the water, Statement B is incorrect.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of both statements:

• Statement A: Cold water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm water - This is Correct.
• Statement B: Dissolved-oxygen concentration is independent of temperature of water - This is Incorrect.

Thus, Statement A is correct, and Statement B is incorrect.