Naphthalene (C₁₀H₈)
* Structure: Naphthalene is a nonpolar hydrocarbon with a planar structure consisting of two fused benzene rings.
* Bonds: It's held together by strong covalent bonds within the molecule, but these are nonpolar due to the similar electronegativity of carbon and hydrogen.
* Solubility:
* Water (H₂O): Water is a highly polar solvent due to the presence of hydrogen bonds between its molecules. Naphthalene's nonpolar nature leads to poor interaction with water molecules. Hence, it's insoluble in water.
* Diethyl Ether (CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₃): Diethyl ether is a less polar solvent than water. It also has a nonpolar hydrocarbon chain, allowing it to interact with naphthalene's nonpolar structure through London dispersion forces. This makes naphthalene soluble in diethyl ether.
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
* Structure: Sodium chloride is an ionic compound consisting of Na⁺ cations and Cl⁻ anions held together by strong electrostatic attractions.
* Bonds: Ionic bonds exist between the sodium and chloride ions.
* Solubility:
* Water (H₂O): Water's high polarity and ability to form hydrogen bonds allows it to effectively solvate the ions in NaCl. The partial negative charges on oxygen in water molecules attract the sodium ions, while the partial positive charges on hydrogen attract the chloride ions. This interaction breaks the ionic lattice and leads to dissolving of NaCl in water.
* Diethyl Ether (CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₃): Diethyl ether is a nonpolar solvent. It cannot overcome the strong electrostatic forces holding the sodium and chloride ions together. As a result, NaCl is insoluble in diethyl ether.
Key Takeaways:
* "Like dissolves like" principle: Polar substances tend to dissolve in polar solvents, and nonpolar substances dissolve in nonpolar solvents.
* Intermolecular forces: The type and strength of intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, London dispersion forces) influence solubility.
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