Why does methane not dissolve in water

As chemists, as physical scientists, however, we should always seek out the data to inform our argument. This site quotes a solubility of 0.

Why would a molecule such as methane not dissolve well into water? Chemistry Solutions Solvation and Dissociation. Nov 5, Explanation: Well, methane is a non-polar molecule that contains relatively non-polar C-H bonds. Related questions How can you increase the rate of solvation? Why is solvation considered a surface phenomenon? How do hydration and solvation differ?

How do you calculate percent dissociation? What is solvation? It simply isn't energetically profitable for the methane and water to mix. Ammonia has the ability to form hydrogen bonds. When the hydrogen bonds between water molecules are broken, they can be replaced by equivalent bonds between water and ammonia molecules. Some of the ammonia also reacts with the water to produce ammonium ions and hydroxide ions.

The reversible arrows show that the reaction doesn't go to completion. The solubility of ammonia is mainly due to the hydrogen bonding and not the reaction. Other common substances which are freely soluble in water because they can hydrogen bond with water molecules include ethanol alcohol and sucrose sugar. Molecular substances are often soluble in organic solvents - which are themselves molecular.

Both the solute the substance which is dissolving and the solvent are likely to have molecules attracted to each other by van der Waals forces. Although these attractions will be disrupted when they mix, they are replaced by similar ones between the two different sorts of molecules. Molecular substances will not conduct electricity. Even in cases where electrons may be delocalized within a particular molecule, there isn't sufficient contact between the molecules to allow the electrons to move through the whole solid or liquid.

Jim Clark Chemguide. Melting and boiling points Molecular substances tend to be gases, liquids or low melting point solids, because the intermolecular forces of attraction are comparatively weak. Solubility in water Most molecular substances are insoluble or only very sparingly soluble in water. Why doesn't methane dissolve in water? Why does ammonia dissolve in water?