Ionic crystals dissolve only in liquids that are
A) polar.
B) nonpolar.
C) saturated.
D) supersaturated.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ionic crystals dissolve in polar liquids because of the strong electrostatic attraction between the positive and negative ions that make up the crystal lattice. Polar solvents have a partial charge on the molecule, allowing them to break up and solvate the ions in the crystal. Nonpolar solvents lack the partial charge necessary to solvate the ions, making them ineffective at dissolving ionic crystals. Saturated and supersaturated refer to the concentration of solute in a solution and are not relevant to the solubility of ionic crystals in polar or nonpolar solvents.

Ionic Crystals Dissolve Only in Liquids That Are