The inert gases are ____ in water. A. sparingly soluble B. insoluble C. soluble D. None of these

The correct answer is A. sparingly soluble.

The inert gases are very slightly soluble in water. This is because they are non-polar molecules, and water is a polar molecule. Non-polar molecules do not interact well with polar molecules, so they do not dissolve well in water.

The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the solubility of the inert gases in water. Option B, insoluble, is incorrect because the inert gases are not completely insoluble in water. Option C, soluble, is incorrect because the inert gases are not very soluble in water. Option D, None of these, is incorrect because one of the options is correct.