Final answer:
The color retention factor from low to high among silicon dioxide, potassium nitrate, and copper sulfate pentahydrate is silicon dioxide (colorless), potassium nitrate (mostly colorless), and copper sulfate pentahydrate (bright blue).
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to rank the color retention factor from low to high among copper sulfate pentahydrate, silicon dioxide, and potassium nitrate. To answer this, we need to consider the nature of each compound, especially in aqueous solutions. Copper sulfate pentahydrate is known for its bright blue color in solution, due to the presence of the copper(II) ion. Silicon dioxide, on the other hand, is colorless as it does not absorb in the visible region or interact with visible light in a way that produces color. Finally, potassium nitrate is also colorless in solution.
In this context, color retention refers to a compound's ability to exhibit color when dissolved in water. Therefore, the correct order, from low to high color retention, would be silicon dioxide with no color, followed by potassium nitrate which also lacks color but is a salt that can sometimes cause a faint coloration due to impurities, and finally, copper sulfate pentahydrate with its distinct blue color.
Thus, the ranking for color retention factor from low to high is:
- Silicon dioxide
- Potassium nitrate
- Copper sulfate pentahydrate