Ethanol as a solvent (1 Viewer)

[DavidC]

As a solvent, ethanol is polar and can therefore dissolve polar substances due to it's hydrogen bond. In the syllabus, it is necessary to explain how ethanol can dissolve non-polar substances as well. If ethanol is polar then how can it dissolve non-polar substances?? Is it because of dispersion forces?? :apig:

 

[schooly]

ethanol (CH3CH2-OH) has the polar hydroxy end (OH) which enables it to dissolve polar substances but it also has the non-polar hydrocarbon end (although only slightly due its short chain) that allows it to dissolve most non-polar substances.

 

[inasero]

yeah you answered your own question there
hey r u david chan?

 

[DavidC]

hey wilson
y did u jig skool today
tsk tsk tsk....

 

[DavidC]

btw.... no
i m not david chan

mwah hahahaha

 

[inasero]

Originally posted by DavidC
hey wilson
y did u jig skool today
tsk tsk tsk....

haha only someone as lame as you could say that...ur definitely david chan

 

[iambored]

Originally posted by schooly
ethanol (CH3CH2-OH) has the polar hydroxy end (OH) which enables it to dissolve polar substances but it also has the non-polar hydrocarbon end (although only slightly due its short chain) that allows it to dissolve most non-polar substances.

yep thats it it has a polar hydroxy and non polar ethyl (??) group

 

[Affinity]

ur definately david chan

*Definitely*

 

[DavidC]

who's affinity??
and who da hell is David Chan?

 

[Piper_Aviator]

have a look at the structural formula for ethanol. On the right hand side the "hydroxy" group is the OH. Because oxygen is more electronegative than carbon or hydrogen is can dissolve polar substances, hence it being the polar end. Now take a look on the left hand side, this has no oxygen, just carbon and hydrogen. It is NON POLAR and hence can dissolve non polar substances too. Therefore that is why ethanol is a good solvent. It can dissolve polar and non polar substances.

 

[hipsta_jess]

yar, as the others said, the OH end dissolves polar stuff, and the CH3 end dissolves non polar stuff...but if they make you say if it is one or the other it is more polar than it is non-polar and therefore is classed as a polar substance.

 

[JuLiAaHHH]

wat bout dispersion forces? doesnt that make it a slightly polar substance at times? i duno i onli do yr 11 chem...

 

[jnothman]

hold on julia, you'll get there =P

 

[DavidC]

Originally posted by hipsta_jess
yar, as the others said, the OH end dissolves polar stuff, and the CH3 end dissolves non polar stuff...but if they make you say if it is one or the other it is more polar than it is non-polar and therefore is classed as a polar substance.

Yeh that's what i thought... that the non-polar part of ethanol is insignificant because it's hydrocarbon chain is short so therefore ethanol is considered a polar substance.
well i was confused.
so is it true that the non-polar part of ethanol has an effect too?

 

[JOhnNiLiCiouS]

just remember... like dissolves like, Ethanol is both polar AND non polar... like soap... you gotta love industrial chem... makes everything else so much more easier

 

[DillBo]

Go u nerds !!
I like this site. Helpful and humourous. Nerds fighting lol!
I wish i could be smarter in Chem, i'm trying but as the saying goes "Too little too late".
Thanks for clearing up the ethanol issue..i too had the same question as mysterious Dave.

 

[JOhnNiLiCiouS]

lol i like chemistry because it's relevant and practical. And as long as you understand the concepts, the course isn't that hard. Easy to get good marks

 

[DillBo]

Yeah..for some !

 

[Dangar]

What is ethanol used for? Cos we have to know some uses and all i can find is that its used in cosmetics and perfumes. Does anyone have any info that's more specific?

 

[DillBo]

yeah it's a solvent in cosmetics and stuff..but's it's also a source of Ethene...Straight from the text book....