Final answer:
Chemistry principles state that like dissolves like; thus, polar and ionic substances like methanol and sodium sulfate dissolve in polar solvents like water, while non-polar substances like octane are better dissolved in non-polar solvents. Acetone, being small and able to form hydrogen bonds, is soluble in water but solubility decreases with increasing carbon chain length. Ammonium chloride dissolves in water but not in non-polar solvents, while cyclohexane behaves oppositely, and ethylene glycol is also water-soluble.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is Chemistry, specifically dealing with the solubility of compounds in different solvents. In water, a polar solvent, substances like methanol (CH3OH) and sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) are more likely to dissolve because they are polar or ionic, which allows them to interact well with the polarity of water. Octane (C8H18), on the other hand, is non-polar and so does not dissolve well in polar solvents like water but would be more soluble in non-polar solvents like toluene (C6H5-CH3) or hexane.
For the solubility in different solvents, acetone and other small aldehydes and ketones are soluble in water due to their ability to form hydrogen bonds. As the carbon chain length increases, solubility in water decreases but remains good in organic solvents. Substances like ammonium chloride would dissolve well in water due to its ionic nature but not in non-polar solvents like benzene; cyclohexane would be less soluble in water and more soluble in benzene; ethylene glycol, having hydroxyl groups, is also soluble in water but less so in benzene.