Question

Rank the following substances in order from most soluble in water to least soluble in water: I. methane, CH₄; II. 1-butanol, C₄H₉OH; III. lithium nitrate, LiNO₃ ; and IV. ethane, C₂H₆.

Answer 1

Answer:III, II, IV, I

Explanation: Order of solubility in water:lithium nitrate, LiNO₃ ;1-butanol, C₄H₉OH; ethane C2H6 ;methane, CH₄.

Answer 2

Answer:

III. lithium nitrate, LiNO₃

II. 1-butanol

IV. ethane, C₂H₆.

I. methane

Explanation:

The solubility of the substances are influenced by many factors. One of the factors are whether the substances are salts or not salts.

Now, metal salts are more soluble in water. This is because of their ability to form aqueous solutions in a liquid medium. For example, a metal salt HX dissolves in water to give:

$HX_{(s)} = H^{+} _{(aq)} + X^{-} _{(aq)}$

This results in an ionic solution

1-butanol follows next because it is an alcohol. Alcohols form hydrogen bonds with water but are not strongly ionic as metal salts

Ethane, C₂H₆. forms weak dipole associations in water. This is because of the electron cloud on the double carbon bond, C=C

Methane forms very weak spontaneous associations and is not very soluble in water. It is the least soluble