1. Iron(II) chloride is soluble in water. Account for this in terms of the particles present.

Answer: FeCl2 is an ionic substance. It is a 3D lattice of Fe2+ and Cl- ions held to each other
by electrostatic attractions (ionic bonds). Polar water molecules are able to attract the ions
out of their lattice and form hydration shells around them, thus FeCl 2 is soluble in H2O. This is
due to the fact that the attraction between the H 2O and the ions is more favourable than both
the H2O-H2O attractions and the ionic bonds.

2. When an orange solution of bromine (Br2) is shaken with a mixture of colourless

cyclohexane (C6H12) and colourless water, two layers form. The water layer is colourless
and the cyclohexane layer is now orange. Explain these observations in terms of the
structure and properties of these compounds.
Answer: Br2 is a non-polar molecule. Water is a polar solvent. Cyclohexane is a non-polar
solvent. Br2 is more soluble in the non-polar solvent cyclohexane than in the polar solvent
water. This is why the cyclohexane layer turns orange, as the Br2 dissolves in it turning it
orange. The Br2-cyclohexane interactions are more favourable than both of the the Br 2-Br2
and the cyclohexane-cyclohexane bonds. However, the Br 2-H2O interactions are less
favourable than either/both the H2O-H2O and/or the Br2-Br2 interactions, so the Br2 does not
dissolve in water.
3. The structure of a compound can affect its solubility in water. Using CO 2 and HBr as
examples explain why one of these is soluble in water and one is not.
Answer: HBr is a polar molecule and CO2 is a non-polar molecule. The polar HBr is soluble
in water as the HBr-H2O interactionsa re more favourable than the H2O-H2O and the HBrHBr interactions. Therefore, H2O attracts HBr molecules out of the lattice/away from each
other, surrounding them in hydration shells. However, non-polar CO 2 is not attracted to
water as strongly, and therefore the H2O-H2O and/or CO2-CO2 interactions are too strong.
This means the H2O cannot attract CO2 molecules and hydrate them effectively, so CO2 is
not soluble in H2O
4. Explain why magnesium metal does not dissolve in water
Mg is a metal, composed of Mg atoms joined together by strong ionic bonds. These bonds are
too strong for H2O molecules to attract out of the solid lattice and surround with hydration
shells, therefore Mg is insoluble in H2O.
5. Potassium chloride, KCl, is an ionic substance.
Explain how and why potassium chloride dissolves in water (a polar solvent) and not in
hexane (a non polar solvent) using your knowledge of structure and bonding.

The attractions between K+ and Cl- ions and H2O molecules is sufficient to overcome both H2OH2O interactions and K+-Cl- ionic bonds, therefore KCl is soluble in water, with water attracting
the ions out of the lattice surrounding them in hydration shells. However, the attractions
between K+ and Cl- ions and hexane molecules is insufficient to overcome hexane-hexane
interactions and/or K+-Cl- ionic bonds, therefore KCl is insoluble in hexane, with hexane unable
to attract the ions out of the lattice and surround them in hydration shells.