Why sugar dissolve in iced tea?

* Polarity: Sugar molecules (sucrose) are polar, meaning they have a positive and negative end. Water is also a polar molecule. Like dissolves like, so polar sugar molecules readily interact with polar water molecules.

* Hydrogen Bonding: The positive end of water molecules forms hydrogen bonds with the negative end of sugar molecules, creating a strong attraction and allowing the sugar to disperse evenly throughout the water.

* Temperature: While the temperature of iced tea is lower than room temperature, it's still warm enough for the molecules to move and interact. The lower temperature slows down the rate of dissolving, but it doesn't prevent it entirely.

Here's how it works in detail:

1. Sugar crystals: Sugar exists in a solid crystalline form where sugar molecules are tightly packed together.

2. Interaction with water: When sugar is added to iced tea, the water molecules come into contact with the sugar crystals.

3. Breaking bonds: The polar water molecules pull on the sugar molecules, disrupting the bonds holding the sugar crystals together.

4. Dissolving: The sugar molecules separate from the crystals and become surrounded by water molecules, forming a solution.

The sugar appears to disappear, but it's actually dispersed evenly throughout the tea, making it sweet.