Question

A solution involves an attraction between the solute, the substance being dissolved, and the solvent, the substance that does the dissolving. This attraction is based on the polarity of the solute and the solvent. If both the solute and the solvent are polar, the solute will dissolve in the solvent. The same can also be said if the solute and the solvent are nonpolar. This results in the formation of a solution. However, if the solute and the solvent have different polarities (i.e., one is polar and the other is nonpolar), they will not dissolve in one another, and a solution will not form. Which substance will dissolve in ethanol

Answer 1

The solute that dissolves in ethanol depends on the polarity of the solute and the solvent. If both the solute and the solvent are polar, then the solute will dissolve in the solvent. Similarly, if both the solute and the solvent are nonpolar, then the solute will also dissolve in the solvent. However, if the solute and the solvent have different polarities, they will not dissolve in one another.

Step-by-step explanation:

A substance can dissolve in a solvent, and form a solution, if the solute and solvent are attracted to each other. For example, water molecules that are held together by hydrogen bonding will dissolve solutes that can also hydrogen bond, like ethanol (CH3CH₂OH). The new hydrogen bonds between the water and the ethanol molecules (solvent-solute attractions) are nearly as strong as the hydrogen bonds in water (solvent-solvent) and ethanol (solute-solute) alone, making the process of solution formation (also called dissolution or dissolving) favorable.

When water mixes with other polar substances, like ethanol, some of the hydrogen bonding between water molecules replace with similar hydrogen bonding with ethanol molecules. Since the electrostatic potential energy is similar, the natural tendency to go towards more dispersion drives the dispersion of ethanol molecules uniformly in water resulting in the solution.

Nonpolar compounds do not dissolve in water. The attractive forces that operate between the particles in a nonpolar compound are weak dispersion forces. However, the nonpolar molecules are more attracted to themselves than they are to the polar water molecules. When a nonpolar liquid such as oil is mixed with water, two separate layers form because the liquids will not dissolve into each other. When another polar liquid such as ethanol is mixed with water, they completely blend and dissolve into one another. Liquids that dissolve in one another in all proportions are said to be miscible. Liquids that do not dissolve in one another are deemed immiscible. The general rule for deciding if one substance is capable of dissolving another is 'like dissolves like'. A nonpolar solid such as iodine will dissolve in nonpolar lighter fluid, but will not dissolve in polar water.