Question

Version: TAKEHOME

Answer 1

Answer:

The hydrogens of the water molecules around the bromide ion will need to be faced toward it, whereas the oxygens of the water molecules around the potassium ion will need to be faced toward it.

The strength of the interaction within the compound will supersede that of the interaction between the compound and water.

Explanation:

To answer this question, you need to be aware of the structure of a water molecule and its components. A water molecule has the chemical formula of H2O, and oxygen is inherently electronegative, meaning that it attracts electrons very strongly. As a result, when it is in H2O, it pulls the valence electrons of the H atoms very strongly, which results  in the H atoms being partially positively charged and the O atom being partially negatively charged. Therefore, the O atom is going to be attracted to the potassium ion, whereas the H atom is going to be attracted to the bromide ion.

The answer to the second part of the question is as written above because ionic bonds are stronger than ion-dipole bonds; that's just the way it is.