Final answer:
Copper chloride has higher solubility in water than sodium chloride due to its stronger ion-dipole interactions with water molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing the solubility of copper chloride (CuCl) and sodium chloride (NaCl) in water, we need to consider the factors that affect solubility. One important factor is the nature of the solute-solvent interactions. Copper chloride is more soluble in water than sodium chloride because copper chloride has stronger ion-dipole interactions with water molecules.
In copper chloride, the copper ion (+2 charge) interacts with the slightly negative oxygen atom in water, while the chloride ion (-1 charge) interacts with the slightly positive hydrogen atom in water. These strong ion-dipole interactions make copper chloride more soluble in water.
On the other hand, sodium chloride has weaker ion-dipole interactions with water. The sodium ion (+1 charge) and chloride ion (-1 charge) both interact with the oxygen atom in water, but their interactions are not as strong as those between copper chloride and water. Therefore, sodium chloride has lower solubility in water compared to copper chloride.