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Multiple Choice
Which one of the following substances is most likely to dissolve in CCl4?
A
I2 (iodine)
B
NH3 (ammonia)
C
KNO3 (potassium nitrate)
D
NaCl (sodium chloride)
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the principle of 'like dissolves like,' which means that polar solvents tend to dissolve polar solutes, and nonpolar solvents tend to dissolve nonpolar solutes.
Identify the polarity of the solvent CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride). CCl4 is a nonpolar molecule because it has a symmetrical tetrahedral shape and the dipoles cancel out.
Analyze the polarity of each solute: NH3 (ammonia) is polar due to its lone pair and molecular shape; KNO3 (potassium nitrate) and NaCl (sodium chloride) are ionic compounds, which are highly polar; I2 (iodine) is a nonpolar molecule because it consists of two identical atoms sharing electrons equally.
Since CCl4 is nonpolar, it will most likely dissolve a nonpolar substance. Therefore, among the options, I2 (iodine) is the most likely to dissolve in CCl4.
Summarize that the solubility depends on the similarity in polarity between solute and solvent, and nonpolar solutes like I2 dissolve best in nonpolar solvents like CCl4.