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Ch.13 - Properties of Solutions
All textbooksBrown 14th EditionCh.13 - Properties of SolutionsProblem 15b
Chapter 13, Problem 15b

Indicate the type of solute–solvent interaction (Section 11.2) that should be most important in each of the following solutions: (b) methanol (CH3OH) in water

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Step 1: Identify the type of solute and solvent. In this case, the solute is methanol (CH3OH) and the solvent is water (H2O). Both of these are polar molecules.
Step 2: Understand the types of solute-solvent interactions. There are three main types: ion-dipole, dipole-dipole, and London dispersion forces.
Step 3: Determine the type of interaction. Methanol and water are both polar molecules, meaning they have a positive and a negative end. Therefore, the most important type of solute-solvent interaction in this solution would be dipole-dipole interaction.
Step 4: Understand why dipole-dipole interaction is the most important. This is because both water and methanol are polar molecules, and the positive end of one molecule will be attracted to the negative end of another molecule. This attraction between polar molecules is what makes them dissolve in each other.
Step 5: Remember that while dipole-dipole interaction is the most important in this case, other types of interactions like hydrogen bonding (a special type of dipole-dipole interaction) and London dispersion forces can also occur to a lesser extent.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Solute-Solvent Interactions

Solute-solvent interactions refer to the various forces that occur between solute particles and solvent molecules when a solution is formed. These interactions can include hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces. The strength and type of these interactions significantly influence the solubility of a solute in a solvent.
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Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonding is a specific type of strong dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen, interacts with another electronegative atom. In the case of methanol in water, both methanol and water can form hydrogen bonds, which enhances the solubility of methanol in water due to the favorable interactions between the molecules.
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Polarity of Molecules

Polarity refers to the distribution of electrical charge over the atoms in a molecule. Polar molecules, like water and methanol, have regions of partial positive and negative charge due to differences in electronegativity. This polarity is crucial in determining solubility, as polar solutes tend to dissolve well in polar solvents, leading to strong solute-solvent interactions.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Indicate the type of solute–solvent interaction (Section 11.2) that should be most important in each of the following solutions: (a) CCl4 in benzene

Textbook Question

Indicate the type of solute–solvent interaction (Section 11.2) that should be most important in each of the following solutions: (c) KBr in water

Textbook Question

Indicate the type of solute–solvent interaction (Section 11.2) that should be most important in each of the following solutions: (d) HCl in acetonitrile (CH3CN)

Textbook Question

Indicate the principal type of solute–solvent interaction in each of the following solutions and rank the solutions from weakest to strongest solute–solvent interaction: (a) KCl in water