Account for the Observation That Ethyl Alcohol $\mathrm { C } _ { 2 }$

question 34

Multiple Choice

Account for the observation that ethyl alcohol, $\mathrm { C } _ { 2 }$ $\mathrm { H } _ { 5 }$ OH,dissolves readily in water but dimethyl ether,C $\mathrm { H } _ { 3 }$ OC $\mathrm { H } _ { 3 }$ ,which has the same number and kinds of atoms,does not.

• A)The hydrogens on the dimethyl ether surround the molecule,shielding the inner atoms from interacting with the water.
• B)Because the carbons arrange themselves in a straight line,the ethanol can interact more easily with more water molecules,thus increasing its solubility.
• C)The high electronegativity of the carbon-oxygen-carbon bond on dimethyl ether creates a strong dipole charge on the ends of the molecule,making it highly soluble in water.
• D)Because dimethyl ether lacks an -OH group,it is significantly less polar than is ethyl alcohol and is not readily soluble in water.

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