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Can anyone explain to me about the solubility of alcohols and such. Ex why is ethane more soluble than methane, and why ethanol is more soluble than ethane.

I thought it had to do with the length of the chain/# of carbons in it but I think there is more. Polarity?
Like dissolves Like, but then since hydrocarbons have H's all around them, wouldnt they all be non-polar..
Alcohols too, because even though there is an oxygen, there still is a hydrogen around it.. so non-polar throughout?

Thanks in Advance.

[vhpk]

http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=12367.0

[english]

With alcohols, hydrogen bonding is more important in coming into solution.


C and H do have differing electronegativities, but the difference is small enough to make the molecule nonpolar, for the most part.

And O—H bond is polar.  Oxygen is the second most electronegative element.



Use the Pauling Scale of Electronegativities