Is CO2 soluble in ethanol? I know that CO2 is nonpolar, so that means it's soluble in nonpolar solvents, but CO2 is soluble in H2O. H2O is polar. Also, if CO2 were obeying Henry's Law, would it be soluble in ethanol at a high pressure?
I would think CO2 would be soluble, even if only a small amount, in ethanol and especially at high pressure. One reason for the solubility in H2O may be that it forms H2CO3 (but in small amounts)
To determine if CO2 is soluble in ethanol, we need to consider the nature of both substances. CO2 is indeed a nonpolar molecule, while ethanol is a polar molecule. Typically, nonpolar substances tend to be soluble in nonpolar solvents, while polar substances tend to be soluble in polar solvents.
However, despite being nonpolar, CO2 exhibits some solubility in polar solvents such as water. This can be attributed to a type of bonding called hydrogen bonding, where the polar nature of water allows it to interact with CO2 molecules.
Regarding Henry's Law, it states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid. So, at higher pressures, a gas tends to be more soluble in a liquid.
In the case of ethanol, it is a polar solvent but not as polar as water. While CO2 may not follow Henry's Law precisely in ethanol, it still has some solubility. The solubility of CO2 in ethanol will likely be lower compared to its solubility in water, but it will depend on factors like temperature and pressure.
To determine the precise solubility of CO2 in ethanol at a given pressure, temperature, and ethanol concentration, you would need to refer to experimental data or consult solubility tables that provide such information.