"Soft drink bottles are sealed under high pressure to increase the solubility of carbon dioxide" is the application of which of the following laws:

Henry's law

The correct answer is Option (2) → Henry's law

Core Concept

Henry's Law states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid at constant temperature.

Mathematically:

$p = K_H × x$

Where

$p$ = partial pressure of gas

$x$ = mole fraction of dissolved gas

$K_H$ = Henry's law constant

Detailed Explanation

Option 1: Dalton's law

Dalton's law states that the total pressure exerted by a mixture of non-reacting gases is equal to the sum of their individual partial pressures. This law explains pressure distribution in gas mixtures but does not describe how pressure affects solubility of gases in liquids.

Option 2: Henry's law

Henry's law directly explains the phenomenon used in soft drink bottles. When $CO_2$ is filled into the bottle under high pressure, the pressure above the liquid increases. According to Henry's law, higher pressure increases the solubility of $CO_2$ in the liquid. When the bottle is opened, pressure decreases and $CO_2$ escapes as bubbles.

Option 3: Charle's law

Charles's law relates volume and temperature of gases at constant pressure. It states that volume increases with temperature. This law does not deal with dissolution of gases in liquids and hence is not applicable here.

Option 4: Boyle's law

Boyle's law relates pressure and volume of a gas at constant temperature. It explains how gas volume changes with pressure but does not describe how gas dissolves in liquids.