This is for a chem lab, and I'm stuck!!
But, I actually have more questions..
If water and chloroform mixed, and they formed two layers, which one would be mainly water and which is mainly chloroform?
thanks!
2007-03-04 10:30:24 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Think about "like dissolves like". Compounds with polar bonds will be more soluble in polar solvents than nonpolar compounds will be.
As for the second, the most dense layer will be on the bottom. I believe (but you should really try to find the density of chloroform) that the chloroform will be on the bottom. It is pretty dense stuff, I think.
2007-03-04 10:35:35 · answer #1 · answered by hcbiochem 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well add up the molecular weights and determine which is lighter. The one that is lighter will be on the top and the heavier one on the bottom. The fact that they are separated into two layers tells you that chloroform is nonpolar. It has to be because we already know that water is polar because of its bent shape. Polar only mixes with polar and nonpolar with nonpolar so if the two are not mixing one is polar and one is nonpolar.
2007-03-04 10:36:54 · answer #2 · answered by Linnea L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋