What factor is affected by temperature when determining the density of sodium chloride solutions?

When determining the density of sodium chloride solutions, temperature primarily affects the volume of the solution. As temperature increases, most liquids, including sodium chloride solutions, expand. This expansion results in an increase in volume while the mass of the solute (sodium chloride) generally remains unchanged if the amount of solute is fixed.

Density, defined as mass per unit volume, is influenced by changes in volume due to temperature variations. As volume increases with temperature, the overall density of the solution will decrease, assuming the mass remains constant. This relationship highlights the importance of temperature in calculating density, as it directly impacts how much space the solution occupies.

While other factors, such as concentration, could be indirectly influenced by temperature changes (since higher temperatures can increase solubility), it is the physical volume of the solution that is most directly altered by temperature. Pressure tends to have a minimal impact on liquid density under standard conditions, making it less relevant in this context.