Acetone, CH3COCH3, is a nonelectrolyte; hypochlorous acid, HClO, is a weak electrolyte; and ammonium chloride, NH4Cl, is a strong electrolyte. (a) What are the solutes present in aqueous solutions of each compound? What solute particles are present in an aqueous solution of HClO?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the type of electrolyte for each compound: Acetone (CH3COCH3) is a nonelectrolyte, hypochlorous acid (HClO) is a weak electrolyte, and ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) is a strong electrolyte.
2. For nonelectrolytes like acetone, the solute does not dissociate into ions in solution. Therefore, the solute particles present in an aqueous solution of acetone are the intact acetone molecules (CH3COCH3).
3. For weak electrolytes like hypochlorous acid (HClO), the solute partially dissociates into ions. In an aqueous solution of HClO, you will find both the undissociated HClO molecules and the ions it forms: H+ and ClO-.
4. For strong electrolytes like ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), the solute completely dissociates into ions in solution. Therefore, the solute particles present in an aqueous solution of NH4Cl are the ions NH4+ and Cl-.
5. Summarize the solute particles for each solution: Acetone has CH3COCH3 molecules, HClO has HClO molecules, H+ ions, and ClO- ions, and NH4Cl has NH4+ ions and Cl- ions.

Key Concepts

Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes

Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. Strong electrolytes, like ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), completely dissociate into their constituent ions, while weak electrolytes, such as hypochlorous acid (HClO), only partially dissociate. Nonelectrolytes, like acetone (CH3COCH3), do not produce ions in solution and therefore do not conduct electricity.

Dissociation of Weak Electrolytes

Weak electrolytes, such as HClO, do not fully ionize in solution. Instead, they establish an equilibrium between the undissociated molecules and the ions produced. In the case of HClO, it partially dissociates into H+ ions and ClO- ions, resulting in a mixture of both ionized and non-ionized species in the solution.

Solute Particles in Aqueous Solutions

The solute particles present in an aqueous solution depend on the nature of the solute. For acetone, the solute particles are intact molecules of CH3COCH3. In the case of NH4Cl, the solute particles are NH4+ and Cl- ions. For HClO, the solution contains a mixture of HClO molecules, H+ ions, and ClO- ions, reflecting its behavior as a weak electrolyte.