Henry’s law states that the concentration of a gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid, provided that the temperature remains constant. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:

C = k x P

Where: C is the concentration of the gas in the liquid, k is Henry’s law constant (specific to the solute-solvent system), P is the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid.

Explanation: Henry’s law is based on the concept of equilibrium between the gas phase and the liquid phase. When a gas comes into contact with a liquid, some of the gas molecules interact with the liquid molecules and dissolve into the liquid. At the same time, some of the dissolved gas molecules escape from the liquid and enter the gas phase.

According to Henry’s law, at a constant temperature, the concentration of the gas in the liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas in the gas phase. This means that if the pressure of the gas above the liquid increases, the concentration of the gas dissolved in the liquid also increases, and vice versa, as long as the temperature remains constant.

The proportionality constant, k, in Henry’s law is specific to the particular solute-solvent system under consideration. It depends on factors such as the nature of the solute and solvent, temperature, and interactions between the gas and liquid molecules. The value of k can vary widely for different gas-liquid systems.

Henry’s law is applicable to dilute solutions and under conditions where the solute does not chemically react with the solvent. It is often used to describe the behavior of gases dissolved in liquids, such as the dissolution of gases in water, such as the dissolution of oxygen in water in aquatic environments or the solubility of carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages.

Overall, Henry’s law provides a fundamental relationship between the concentration of a gas dissolved in a liquid and the partial pressure of the gas, allowing for the prediction and understanding of gas solubility in various liquid systems.