Question

Which of the following substances when dissolved in water will give a solution that does not conduct electricity
A. Hydrogen chloride
B. Potassium hydroxide
C. Sodium acetate
D. Urea

Answer 1

Hint: Water is a polar solvent and normally dissolves numerous ionic compounds and polar molecules.
Nonpolar molecules do not undergo dissolution in water.
Ionic compounds undergo hydration in water.

Complete step by step solution:The molecules of water are continuously moving.
Here in this question, we are given different substances which will undergo dissolved water.
We have to find out which solution does not conduct electricity.
A. Hydrogen chloride
When hydrogen chloride is put into water, the water's molecules collide with it.
Water dissolves HCl as water is polar and carries both a positive and a negative end.
HCl is a polar covalent compound. Hydrogen has a partial positive charge and chlorine has a partial negative charge.
The partially positively charged hydrogen ions are drawn to the negatively charged oxygen end.
The partially negatively charged chloride ions in the crystal are drawn to the partially positive hydrogen end of the water molecules.
So, HCl undergoes dissolution in water.
So, A is incorrect.

B. Potassium hydroxide
It is an ionic compound and when dissolved in water forms positive and negative ions.
These ions get surrounded by water molecules.
So, it is also soluble in water.
So, B is incorrect.

C. Sodium acetate
It is also an ionic compound.
So, when it is dissolved in water it forms positive and negative ions.
These ions get surrounded by and attached to the water molecules.
So, it is also soluble in water.
So, C is incorrect.

D. Urea
This is a nonpolar covalent compound.
When water dissolves urea, it isolates the individual urea molecules by disturbing the attractive forces but does not break the covalent bonds.
So, urea doesn't get hydrated.
So, urea is insoluble in water.

So, option D is correct.

Note: Hydration is the process by which the solute particles attached to water molecules are organized in a particular way.
Hydration stabilizes aqueous solutions by discouraging the positive and negative ions from moving toward each other and creating a precipitate.