Water can dissolve ionic and polar compounds.

Water can dissolve ionic and polar compounds.

• A. Water can dissolve nonpolar solvents only.
• B. Water cannot dissolve ionic compounds.
• C. Water can dissolve ionic and polar compounds.
• D. Water can dissolve only gases.

Answer: (C)

Solubility in water depends on how the solute can interact with water’s polarity. Water is a highly polar solvent with strong ability to form ion-dipole and hydrogen-bonding interactions. When an ionic compound is introduced, the ions become surrounded by water molecules: the oxygen end (negative) stabilizes cations, while the hydrogen ends (positive) stabilize anions. This hydration lowers the energy of the ions in solution and helps overcome the lattice energy holding the solid together, so the compound dissolves. For polar covalent compounds, the molecules can align with water’s dipoles and form hydrogen bonds or dipole-dipole interactions with water. These favorable interactions stabilize the solute in solution, making polar substances soluble in water. Nonpolar substances lack strong interactions with water, so dissolving them would disrupt water’s hydrogen-bonding network rather than stabilize it. That unfavorable balance means they don’t dissolve well. As for gases, water does dissolve some gases, but that’s not exclusive — many ionic and polar substances dissolve far more readily. That’s why the correct statement is that water can dissolve ionic and polar compounds.

Solubility in water depends on how the solute can interact with water’s polarity. Water is a highly polar solvent with strong ability to form ion-dipole and hydrogen-bonding interactions. When an ionic compound is introduced, the ions become surrounded by water molecules: the oxygen end (negative) stabilizes cations, while the hydrogen ends (positive) stabilize anions. This hydration lowers the energy of the ions in solution and helps overcome the lattice energy holding the solid together, so the compound dissolves.

For polar covalent compounds, the molecules can align with water’s dipoles and form hydrogen bonds or dipole-dipole interactions with water. These favorable interactions stabilize the solute in solution, making polar substances soluble in water.

Nonpolar substances lack strong interactions with water, so dissolving them would disrupt water’s hydrogen-bonding network rather than stabilize it. That unfavorable balance means they don’t dissolve well. As for gases, water does dissolve some gases, but that’s not exclusive — many ionic and polar substances dissolve far more readily.

That’s why the correct statement is that water can dissolve ionic and polar compounds.