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The solubility of refrigerant oil is lowest in
A) CO2
B) R-22
C) NH3
D) R-12

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Freon-12 (R-12) is a nonpolar substance that is a gas at room temperature (25°C). Refrigerant oil has low solubility in R-12 due to the lack of polar interactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question refers to the solubility of refrigerant oil in different refrigerants, in this case, comparing with Freon-12 (R-12). Freon-12 is a chlorofluorocarbon used as a refrigerant and propellant. At room temperature, which is approximately 25°C, Freon-12 is a gas since its boiling point is -29.8°C. This means that at room temperature, it has already transitioned from its liquid state to a gaseous state. For substances like refrigerant oil, solubility is generally lower in nonpolar substances when compared to polar substances. Since Freon-12 (R-12) is nonpolar, refrigerant oil will exhibit low solubility in it.

Another important aspect of solubility is the interaction between solute and solvent molecules. Solubility is influenced by the ability of different molecules to mix and form intermolecular attractions. Polar substances tend to dissolve well in polar solvents, like water, and poor in nonpolar solvents, like R-12. Similarly, nonpolar substances are more soluble in nonpolar solvents, following the 'like dissolves like' principle.

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