Which statement about temperature and pesticide vaporization is accurate?

Which statement about temperature and pesticide vaporization is accurate?

• A. Vaporization decreases with higher temperature
• B. Vaporization is unaffected by temperature
• C. Higher temperature increases vaporization
• D. Vaporization occurs only under bright light

Answer: (C)

Temperature controls how much pesticide becomes vapor. As heat increases, molecules gain kinetic energy and more of them can overcome surface forces to escape into the air, so the vapor pressure rises. This means volatilization accelerates at higher temperatures. Light isn’t a factor in this process, and vaporization isn’t constant with temperature—it climbs as temperature goes up. So the statement that higher temperature increases vaporization is the accurate one, with warmer conditions often making volatile pesticides more likely to vaporize and pose exposure risks.

Temperature controls how much pesticide becomes vapor. As heat increases, molecules gain kinetic energy and more of them can overcome surface forces to escape into the air, so the vapor pressure rises. This means volatilization accelerates at higher temperatures. Light isn’t a factor in this process, and vaporization isn’t constant with temperature—it climbs as temperature goes up. So the statement that higher temperature increases vaporization is the accurate one, with warmer conditions often making volatile pesticides more likely to vaporize and pose exposure risks.