Question #47309

1 Answer
Stefan V.
Jul 25, 2015

Solubility in ethanol at #25^@"C"#: 11.3 g/100 g

Explanation:

Naphthalene is only partially soluble in ethanol, despite the fact that naphthalene is a nonpolar compound and ethanol is considered a polar solvent.

The presence of the hydroxyl group, #"-OH"#, is what makes ethanol a polar molecule. However, the nonpolar ethyl group, #CH_3CH_2"-"#, is what allows naphthalene to be partially soluble in ethanol.

The nonpolar naphthalene molecules will be attracted to the nonpolar ethyl groups and allow for some degree of solubility to exist.

At #25^@"C"#, naphthalene's solubility in ethanol is given as 11.3 g per 100 g of ethanol.

By comparison, naphthalene is virtually insoluble in water, a much more polar compound than ethanol.

At the same temperature, naphthalene has a solubility of 31.6 mg per liter of water.

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