According to Henry’s Law, what happens to the solubility of a gas in a liquid when the pressure above the liquid increases?

Henry's Law states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. This relationship can be expressed mathematically as ( S = k_H \cdot P ), where ( S ) is the solubility of the gas, ( k_H ) is Henry’s law constant (specific to each gas at a given temperature), and ( P ) is the partial pressure of the gas.

When the pressure above the liquid increases, the partial pressure of the gas also increases. According to Henry's Law, this causes the solubility of the gas in the liquid to increase as well. Thus, with higher pressure, more gas molecules are pushed into the liquid, leading to a greater concentration of dissolved gas.

For context, if the pressure were to decrease, the solubility would also decrease, and if the pressure remained unchanged, the solubility would remain constant. Fluctuations in pressure could lead to varying concentrations of gas dissolved, but the fundamental principle according to Henry's Law is that increased pressure results in increased solubility. This principle is crucial in various applications, including carbonated beverages, where gases like carbon dioxide are dissolved under high pressure