Which of the following liquids should be most soluble in water?
A) CH3OH
b) CH3CH2CH2CH2OH
C) CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3
D) CH3OCH3
To determine which of the following liquids is most soluble in water, we should consider the types of intermolecular forces present in each compound. The most important intermolecular force to consider in this case is hydrogen bonding.
Hydrogen bonding occurs when a hydrogen atom is bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as oxygen or nitrogen) and is attracted to another highly electronegative atom in a different molecule. Water molecules are capable of forming hydrogen bonds due to the electronegative oxygen atom in the molecule.
Now, let's analyze each compound:
A) CH3OH (methanol):
Methanol contains a hydrogen atom bonded to an oxygen atom, allowing it to form hydrogen bonds with water. Therefore, it is soluble in water.
B) CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (butanol):
Butanol also contains a hydrogen atom bonded to an oxygen atom, allowing it to form hydrogen bonds with water. It is larger than methanol, so it might have slightly lower solubility but is still soluble in water.
C) CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 (hexane):
Hexane is a nonpolar molecule and does not contain any hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen or nitrogen atom. It does not have the capability to form hydrogen bonds with water, resulting in low solubility in water.
D) CH3OCH3 (dimethyl ether):
Dimethyl ether contains an oxygen atom, which can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Therefore, it is soluble in water.
Based on the analysis, the compound that should be most soluble in water is:
A) CH3OH (methanol)
Note: While all of these compounds are somewhat soluble in water, the order of solubility might vary slightly depending on the temperature and other factors.