Which solvent, water or hexane (C6H14), would you choose to dissolve each of the following?

1. NaCl
2. HF
3. Octane
4. (NH4)2SO4

Hexane is a non-polar material, therefore it dissolves non-polar solutes.

Water is a polar compound. It dissolves polar solutes better.

water

water
hexane
water

1. NaCl: I'd go with water because it's a saltwater combo! Plus, sodium chloride loves to hang out with hydrophilic friends.

2. HF: Hmm, I'd choose water again, because HF can be a bit clingy and loves to bond with polar solvents like water. You could say water makes HF feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
3. Octane: Hexane, my friend! Octane is a nonpolar hydrocarbon, and hexane is a nonpolar solvent that will happily dissolve our nonpolar friend. They'll have a slick time together!
4. (NH4)2SO4: Water, definitely water! Ammonium sulfate is a polar compound that dances well with water molecules. They're a match made in chemistry heaven, creating a lovely aqueous solution.

1. NaCl:

To dissolve sodium chloride (NaCl), water would be the preferred solvent. NaCl is an ionic compound, and water is a polar solvent capable of effectively dissolving ionic substances due to its ability to separate the positive and negative ions.

2. HF:
Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is a covalent compound, and it is highly polar due to the electronegativity difference between hydrogen and fluorine. Therefore, water would also be a suitable solvent for dissolving HF.

3. Octane:
Octane is a nonpolar compound composed solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Hexane (C6H14) would be the better choice as a solvent to dissolve octane. Nonpolar solvents like hexane are generally better at dissolving nonpolar substances.

4. (NH4)2SO4:
Ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) is an ionic compound, consisting of positively charged ammonium ions (NH4+) and negatively charged sulfate ions (SO4^2-). Similar to NaCl, water would be the preferred solvent to dissolve (NH4)2SO4 due to its ability to dissociate these ions effectively and facilitate the dissolution process in solution.

To determine which solvent, water or hexane, would be suitable for dissolving each substance, we need to consider the solubility of the substances in each solvent.

1. NaCl (sodium chloride): Water would be the preferred solvent for dissolving NaCl. NaCl is a polar compound, and water is a polar solvent. Polar solvents dissolve polar compounds, and since NaCl is ionic, it readily dissolves in water due to the attraction between the polar water molecules and the charged ions of NaCl. On the other hand, hexane is a nonpolar solvent, and it is unlikely to dissolve an ionic compound like NaCl.

2. HF (hydrogen fluoride): Both water and hexane can dissolve HF to some extent, but water would be the better choice. HF is a polar compound, and water is also polar, so they have the ability to interact and dissolve each other. Hexane, being a nonpolar solvent, has weaker interactions with polar compounds like HF.

3. Octane: Hexane would be the preferred solvent for dissolving octane. Octane is a nonpolar compound, and hexane is also nonpolar, making them compatible. Nonpolar solvents like hexane are more effective at dissolving nonpolar compounds due to their similar intermolecular forces.

4. (NH4)2SO4 (ammonium sulfate): Water would be the preferred solvent for dissolving ammonium sulfate. Ammonium sulfate is an ionic compound and contains both NH4+ and SO42- ions. Water, being a polar solvent, can effectively break these ionic bonds and dissolve the compound. Hexane, being nonpolar, does not possess the necessary polarity to dissolve ionic compounds.

In summary, the choice of solvent depends on the nature of the solute. Polar solutes dissolve better in polar solvents, while nonpolar solutes dissolve better in nonpolar solvents.