What is the effect of pressure on the solubility of a solid in a liquid?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Solubility does not change significantly
Solids and liquids are highly incompressible, so a change in pressure hardly affects them. The solubility of a solid in a liquid therefore shows no significant change with pressure.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) Solubility increases with increase in pressure — Incorrect. This is true for a gas in a liquid (Henry’s law), not for a solid.
Option (2) Solubility decreases with increase in pressure — Incorrect. Pressure has no significant effect in either direction on a solid dissolving in a liquid.
Option (4) Solubility decreases with decrease in pressure — Incorrect. This says the same as Option (1) in other words; it would need solubility to depend on pressure, which it does not for a solid.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
1.3.1 Solubility of a Solid in a Liquid – Effect of pressure – “Pressure does not have any significant effect on solubility of solids in liquids. It is so because solids and liquids are highly incompressible and practically remain unaffected by changes in pressure.”