Question

Which statement best explains water’s ability to dissolve covalent compounds? a. Water can dissolve polar covalent compounds through dipole-dipole interactions. b. Water can dissolve nonpolar covalent compounds through hydrogen-bonding interactions. c. Water can dissolve polar covalent compounds through ion-dipole interactions. d. Water can dissolve nonpolar covalent compounds through dipole-dipole interactions.

Answer 1

Answer: The correct answer is Option a.

Step-by-step explanation:

A covalent compound is defined as a compound which is formed by the sharing of electrons between the atoms. These are of two types: Polar covalent compound and non-polar covalent compound.

Water is a polar covalent compound.

In polar covalent compound, a dipole is present and when this compound interacts with another polar covalent compound, it is bonded with dipole-dipole interactions. Thus, a polar covalent compound can be easily dissolved in another polar covalent compound.

A non-polar covalent compound cannot be dissolved in a polar covalent compound because of the difference in polarity.

Ion-dipole interactions occur when an ionic compound interacts with a dipole.

Hence, the correct answer is Option a.

Answer 2

"c. Water can dissolve polar covalent compounds through ion-dipole interactions" is the statement that best explains water’s ability to dissolve covalent compounds.