Which of the following is a nonelectrolyte? Please state why or why not for each. Thanks
a) NaOH
b) HNO3
c) C2H6O (ethanol)
d) KF
e) CH3COOH (acetic acid)
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is C₂H₆O (ethanol) because it is a nonelectrolyte. Below is an explanation of each option:
Analysis of Each Compound
a) NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) – Strong Electrolyte
- NaOH is a strong base and completely dissociates into Na⁺ and OH⁻ ions in water.
- Since it produces free-moving ions, it is a strong electrolyte, not a nonelectrolyte.
b) HNO₃ (Nitric Acid) – Strong Electrolyte
- HNO₃ is a strong acid and completely ionizes in water into H⁺ and NO₃⁻ ions.
- Because it fully dissociates into ions, it is a strong electrolyte.
c) C₂H₆O (Ethanol) – Nonelectrolyte (Correct Answer)
- Ethanol is a molecular compound with covalent bonds and does not ionize in water.
- While it dissolves in water due to hydrogen bonding, it does not produce ions.
- Since no significant ionization occurs, ethanol does not conduct electricity, making it a nonelectrolyte.
d) KF (Potassium Fluoride) – Strong Electrolyte
- KF is an ionic compound that dissolves in water, fully dissociating into K⁺ and F⁻ ions.
- Because it produces free-moving ions in solution, it is a strong electrolyte.
e) CH₃COOH (Acetic Acid) – Weak Electrolyte
- Acetic acid is a weak acid, meaning it partially ionizes in water into CH₃COO⁻ and H⁺.
- Since only a small fraction of molecules ionize, it is a weak electrolyte, not a nonelectrolyte.
Why Ethanol is a Nonelectrolyte?
Ethanol (C₂H₆O) consists of covalent bonds and does not break into ions in water. Instead, it dissolves as intact molecules. Since electrical conductivity requires mobile ions, ethanol does not conduct electricity in solution, making it a nonelectrolyte.