Categorize the following substances as strong electrolytes, weak electrolytes, or nonelectrolytes and briefly explain your reasoning. Substances: CH3CH2OH, N2O, Ne, RbCl, H2CO3
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Let’s categorize these substances based on their ability to dissociate into ions in solution, as this determines their behavior as electrolytes.
- CH3CH2OH (Ethanol):
Ethanol is a nonelectrolyte. It does not dissociate into ions in water. Instead, it dissolves in water through hydrogen bonding without forming charged particles, making it incapable of conducting electricity. - N2O (Nitrous oxide):
Nitrous oxide is also a nonelectrolyte. It is a molecular gas that does not ionize in water. As a non-polar gas, it does not produce ions or conduct electricity when dissolved in water. - Ne (Neon):
Neon is a nonelectrolyte. It is a noble gas and remains inert. It does not form ions or participate in chemical reactions in water, so it cannot conduct electricity. - RbCl (Rubidium chloride):
Rubidium chloride is a strong electrolyte. It dissociates completely into rubidium ions (Rb⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻) when dissolved in water. Because of this full dissociation, it is able to conduct electricity efficiently in solution. - H2CO3 (Carbonic acid):
Carbonic acid is a weak electrolyte. It partially dissociates in water to form hydrogen ions (H⁺) and bicarbonate ions (HCO₃⁻). Since it does not fully dissociate, it only weakly conducts electricity.
Summary:
- Nonelectrolytes: CH3CH2OH, N2O, Ne
- Strong electrolyte: RbCl
- Weak electrolyte: H2CO3
Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions in solution, and the degree of dissociation determines whether the substance is a strong, weak, or nonelectrolyte. Strong electrolytes completely dissociate, while weak electrolytes only partially dissociate. Nonelectrolytes do not dissociate into ions at all.
