Question

What does ‘Like dissolves like’ mean?
A. The compounds that are from the same period on the periodic table will dissolve each other.
B. Polar solutes dissolve in polar solvents.
C. Nonpolar solutes dissolve in polar solvents.
D. Polar solutes dissolve in nonpolar solvents.
E. That compounds from the same family on the periodic table will dissolve each other.

Answer 1

Hint: In chemistry the sentence “like dissolves like” refers to the solubility, polar and nonpolar substances. ‘like dissolves like,’ means that the chemical compounds with similar chemical features will dissolve one in another.


Complete step by step answer:
-Generally polar solvents have a habit to dissolve polar solutes and nonpolar solvents have a habit to dissolve nonpolar solutes.
-Whereas non-polar chemicals and polar chemicals are immiscible (do not mix each other).
-Take an example of glucose, it is an ionic substance nothing but polar. So, glucose dissolves in a polar solvent like water.
-Because water is highly polar in nature it will make polar substances dissolve in it.
-Coming to an example of grease, it is a nonpolar substance. So, grease dissolves in a non-polar solvent like kerosene or benzene.
-Because kerosene or benzene are non-polar solvents, they will make non-polar substances dissolve in it.
-Coming to the concept of polar substance and non-polar solvent. Take an example of glucose as a polar substance and benzene as a nonpolar solvent.
-Glucose is not going to be soluble in benzene because polar compounds need some solvent which will make it to form ions.
-Glucose is not going to form as ions in benzene because of the non-polar nature of benzene.
 -So, like dissolves like mean that polar compounds are soluble in polar solvents and non-polar compounds soluble in non-polar substances.

-So, the correct option is B.


Note: Don’t be confused with the terms polar compounds and nonpolar compounds.
The compounds which easily convert into ions and dissolves after dissolving in polar solvent then the compounds are called polar compounds.
The compounds which do not convert into ions but are soluble in nonpolar solvents are called nonpolar compounds.