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 c) C2H6O (ethanol).
Explanation:
To determine which of the compounds is a nonelectrolyte, we need to understand the difference between electrolytes and nonelectrolytes:
- Electrolytes are substances that, when dissolved in water, dissociate into ions, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. They can be classified into strong electrolytes (completely dissociate) and weak electrolytes (partially dissociate).
- Nonelectrolytes are substances that do not dissociate into ions in solution, meaning they do not conduct electricity when dissolved in water.
Now let’s analyze each compound:
a) NaOH (Sodium hydroxide)
NaOH is an ionic compound composed of sodium ions (Na⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻). When dissolved in water, NaOH dissociates completely into these ions:
[ \text{NaOH} (aq) \rightarrow \text{Na}^+ (aq) + \text{OH}^- (aq) ]
Since it dissociates completely into ions, NaOH is a strong electrolyte.
b) HNO3 (Nitric acid)
HNO3 is a strong acid, which dissociates completely in water to form hydrogen ions (H⁺) and nitrate ions (NO₃⁻):
[ \text{HNO}_3 (aq) \rightarrow \text{H}^+ (aq) + \text{NO}_3^- (aq) ]
As a strong acid, HNO3 is also a strong electrolyte.
c) C2H6O (Ethanol)
Ethanol (C₂H₆O) is a molecular compound and does not dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. It dissolves as intact molecules:
[ \text{C}_2\text{H}_6\text{O} (l) \rightarrow \text{C}_2\text{H}_6\text{O} (aq) ]
Since it does not dissociate into ions, ethanol is a nonelectrolyte.
d) KF (Potassium fluoride)
KF is an ionic compound composed of potassium ions (K⁺) and fluoride ions (F⁻). When dissolved in water, KF dissociates completely into its ions:
[ \text{KF} (aq) \rightarrow \text{K}^+ (aq) + \text{F}^- (aq) ]
Since it dissociates completely into ions, KF is a strong electrolyte.
e) CH3COOH (Acetic acid)
Acetic acid is a weak acid that only partially dissociates in water:
[ \text{CH}_3\text{COOH} (aq) \rightleftharpoons \text{CH}_3\text{COO}^- (aq) + \text{H}^+ (aq) ]
Because it does not completely dissociate, acetic acid is a weak electrolyte.
Conclusion:
Ethanol (C₂H₆O) is the nonelectrolyte because it does not dissociate into ions in solution, unlike the other compounds, which either dissociate completely or partially into ions.