Lesson

Solubility and Miscibility

1
What’s In

In the previous lesson, you have learned that Polarity refers to the physical properties of
compounds and that the polarity of a compound is determined by the difference in
electronegativity value of the bonded atoms and by the compound’s molecular geometrical shape.

Polar molecules have asymmetrically shape because of uneven distribution of electrons and
have a relatively high difference in its electronegativity value (0.5 -1.8). On the other hand, non-
polar molecules have lesser difference in their electro negativities value (0 - 0.5) and are more
symmetrical in its molecular arrangement due to even distribution of electrons. The spatial
arrangement of atoms in a polyatomic molecule based on the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion
(VSEPR) Theory determines the shape of a particle and is designed to minimize the repulsion within
a molecule.

What is It

WATER MOLECULE

Water is a chemical compound and polar molecule, which is liquid at standard temperature and
pressure. It has the chemical formula H2O, meaning that one molecule of water is composed of two
hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

One important feature of the water molecule is its polar nature. The water molecule forms an
angle, with hydrogen atoms at the tips and oxygen at the vertex. Since oxygen has a higher
electronegativity than hydrogen, the side of the molecule with the oxygen atom has a partial
negative charge.

Hydrogen Bond between Two Water Molecules

SOLUBILITY is a property referring to the ability for a given substance, the solute, to dissolve in a
solvent. It ranges widely, from infinitely soluble such as sugar in water, to poorly soluble, such as
silver chloride in water. INSOLUBILITY is often applied to poorly soluble compounds. Solubility
often applies in solid solutes and liquid solvents.

Image 1. Solubility of Solute in the Solvent Picture taken from:

 The process of dissolving called DISSOLUTION is relatively straightforward for covalent
substances (polar & non-polar substances).
But what factors affects the solubility of substances?
Solubility is greatly affected by the molecules’ polarity. Since polar molecules have partially
positive and partially negative portions, it will interact with another molecule following the law of
electrostatic attraction/repulsion. For example, in preparing a solution of water (polar molecule)
and salt (ionic substance with + & - ions, the molecules and ions will interact with each other.
Meaning, the sodium ion will be attracted to the partially negative portion of the water molecule
(Oxygen), in the same manner that the negative Chlorine ions are attracted to the partially positive
portion of the water (Hydrogen).

Due to this attraction, the positive ions (sodium) will be surrounded by the partially negative
oxygen ion in water and in the same manner; the negative ion (chlorine) will be surrounded by the
partially positive hydrogen ion in water.
To be able for solubility to occur, the substances should have the same polarity following the
concept of “LIKE DISSOLVES LIKE”. Thus, polar substances will dissolve in polar solvents and non-
polar substances will dissolve in non-polar solvents. This is due to the similarity of their structure
and distribution of ions in the molecules.
If you know the polarity of molecules, you can predict whether or not they will mix together to
form chemical solution. It’s helpful to know which compounds are intermediate between polar and
non-polar because you can use them as an intermediate to dissolve a chemical into one.
MISCIBILITY refers to the ability of a liquid to completely dissolve in another liquid solution. A
distinct layer between two liquids will not form when you have a solution that is labeled miscible.
When a distinct layer does form in a mixed solution, this is called IMMISCIBILITY. For example, a
type of immiscible liquid is oil and water. When mixed together, oil will essentially 'sit on top' of
water, resulting in the formation of a very noticeable layer.

In chemistry, you can exploit this concept of forming a layer when you would like to tell the
difference between miscible and immiscible liquids. A water curve, called a MENISCUS, will form
when two liquids are immiscible. Thus, miscible liquids will NOT have a meniscus. This diagram
provides an illustration of this difference highlighting the presence (and absence) of a meniscus.

HOMOGENOUS is a great term that should come to mind whenever you encounter the word
‘miscible.’ A solution that is homogenous only contains a single phase. In other words, when you
look at a homogenous solution, you will see a uniform composition of two (or more) liquids mixed
together. Thus, think of the term homogenous as a way to define miscibility. If you happen to not
be in a chemical laboratory when identifying the meniscus in a solution, there is another way to
qualitatively analyze whether or not your solution is miscible. Simply observe the liquids being
mixed. If you see the liquids separate from one another after mixing, you can strongly conclude
that the solution is immiscible.

Now, there is a great chemical explanation behind why two liquids can be miscible. This
explanation refers to the polarity of a liquid. Liquid solutions can be described as either non-polar
or polar substances. If two liquids possess similar polarities, they will form a homogenous solution
that will be miscible. For example, let’s say you have two liquids both considered to be polar.
Because they are both polar, the desire to mingle and unite to form one solution will occur.

When both liquid molecules are polar, then they can attract one another – which leads to
mixing
(miscibility).
When the molecular liquid is nonpolar, then the water molecules attract only one another
while ignoring the nonpolar liquid. The result is that the two liquids are immiscible.

For liquids we come to the conclusion that polar and polar liquids are miscible, polar and
nonpolar liquids are immiscible and, as an obvious extension, nonpolar and nonpolar liquids are
miscible. This observation leads to the often-said statement “like dissolves like”.

Nonpolar “tails” adhere to dirt on the skin. Polar groups are soluble in water and help lift
the dirt away from the skin.

Lesson
Boiling Point and Melting
2 Point
Polar molecules have higher polarity compared to non-polar molecules because of its
molecular geometrical structure and distribution of electrons in the molecule. Polar molecules have
partially positive and negative ends. When two polar molecules are near each other, the negative
end of one molecule is attracted to the positive end of the other. The separation of charges results
in a strong force of attraction between the molecules.

Since a higher polarity means that the atom/molecule has a stronger negatively charged
end and a stronger positively charged end, this leads to greater interaction with other molecules.
Thus, it’s harder to pull apart the atoms or molecules and requires a higher boiling point and
melting point. On the other hand, non-polar molecules do not have positive or negative ends.
Between two neighboring nonpolar molecules, the attraction is very minimal.
 Base
d on the

interaction of molecules, water is expected to have higher melting and boiling points than carbon
dioxide as reflected in the data presented in table 1.
Compound Melting Point (oC) Boiling Point (oC)
Water 0 100
Carbon Dioxide -56.5 -78.5

Table 1. Boiling Point and Melting Point of Water and Carbon Dioxide

Boiling point is the temperature at which liquids turn from a liquid to a gas. Boiling points can be
used to identify unknown liquids. Greater amount of head is needed to break the forces of
attraction of polar molecules compared to nonpolar ones. Generally, polar molecules have
higher boiling points than nonpolar molecules as observed in the example illustrated in table
2.

Molecule Polarity Boiling Point

CH3 (Methanol) Polar 64.6 OC

CH4 (Methane) Non-Polar -161.5 OC

Table 2. Boiling Point for Substances with Different Polarity

Polar and Nonpolar region in water is packed in a small molecule. The small water molecules
easily orient themselves with one another so as to maximize the effect of the hydrogen bond.
This leads to requiring higher energy to disrupt the IMF (H-bonding) thus leading to higher boiling
point.

Melting point is the temperature at which a material changes from a solid to a liquid form
(melts). Keep in mind that a material’s melting point is the same as its freezing point. These are
just different terms for the same thing; it just depends on whether energy is being removed from a
substance (freezing) or if energy is being added to a substance (melting).
A nonpolar molecule such as BF3 is symmetrical about the center of
the molecule, so the molecule has no positive or negative end.
Each charge around the central atom is balanced, and there is no
overall polarity to one side of the molecule. The molecule is
nonpolar.

Nonpolar molecules have only weak attractive forces for each

other, so nonpolar substances tend to have low melting points and
boiling points.

In the presence of hydrogen bonding, it usually leads to a higher melting point. The melting point
of polar substances is higher than the melting point of non-polar substances with similar size
because they have relatively stronger force of attraction compared to nonpolar ones. Greater
amount of heat must be applied to break these forces. Therefore, in general, polar molecules
have higher melting points than nonpolar molecules as seen in table 3.
 Molecul Polarit Melting
e y Point
HF (Hydrogen
Polar -83. OC
Fluoride
6
)
F2(Fluorine
) Non-Polar -219. OC
6
Table 3. Melting Point for Substances with Different
Polarity