Answer to Question #156144 in Organic Chemistry for Amy Grant

Question

1. Try to dissolve a crystal of NaCl and a small flake of naphthalene/menthol crystal in 1 cm3 of each of the following solvents commonly found in the home; kerosene, ethanol (rubbing alcohol/methylated spirits), acetone (nail polish remover) and water. State whether the solids are insoluble, sparingly soluble, soluble or very soluble in each of the solvents. 

2. Determine whether the solvents mix with one another. Use no more than 1 cm3 liquid. Just state whether miscible or immiscible. 

3. Use your observation from 1 and 2 above, along with course content from CHM 1102, to identify the dominant intermolecular forces for each mixture.

Answer 1

1. NaCl is soluble in water, sparingly soluble in ethanol, insoluble in kerosene and acetone.

Naphthalene is insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in ethanol, soluble in kerosene and acetone.

2. water does not mix with kerosene or acetone but mixes with ethanol.

ethanol does not mix with kerosene or acetone but mixes with water.

kerosene does not mix with water or ethanol but mixes with acetone.

acetone does not mix with water or ethanol but mixes with kerosene.

3. water is polar and covalent.

ethanol has both polar and non-polar functional groups but is also covalent.

kerosene is non polar and covalent.

acetone is non-polar and covalent.