How does polarity affect the ability of a substance to dissolve?

Answer 1

Water's polar nature affects its ability to dissolve different substances because of the charges of its molecules. Since its oxygen atom is negatively charged and its hydrogen atoms are positively charged, it makes it strong enough to tear apart other polar substances that are poured into it.

Answer 2

When polar substances are placed in water, the positive and negative ends of the substance form dipole-dipole bonds with the negative and positive ends of water (respectively). This intermolecular bonding breaks apart the intermolecular bonds between molecules of the solute and replaces them with water molecules.

Answer 3

When polar substances are placed in water, the positive and negative ends of the substance form dipole-dipole bonds with the negative and positive ends of water (respectively). This intermolecular bonding breaks apart the intermolecular bonds between molecules of the solute and replaces them with water molecules.

Answer 4

Like dissolves like. Water is polar in nature. In water partial positive charge is developed on hydrogen atom, while partial negative charge is developed on oxygen atom due to the electronegativity difference between hydrogen and oxygen atoms. This enables water to form hydrogen bonds with polar solutes which can also develope polarity in their molecule in similar way. Thus, in water these molecules undergo ionisation and each ion can develope new hydrogen bonds with the water molecules. Hence that polar molecules gets dissolved.

Answer 5

The oxygen in water is much bigger than the hydrogen and so attracts electrons more strongly and had a relatively negative charge leaving the hydrogens slightly positive.

It is only weakly polar so it can dissolve some of each polar and non-polar substances.

Answer 6

Generally a polar solute is dissolved in a polar solvent and a nonpolar solute is dissolved in a nonpolar solvent.