Which of the following would form a nonelectrolyte solution in water?

A. KCl
B. [tex]Cu_2SO_4[/tex]
C. [tex]NaNO_3[/tex]
D. [tex]C_6H_{12}O_6[/tex]



Answer :

To determine which of the given compounds would form a nonelectrolyte solution in water, we need to understand the nature of electrolytes versus nonelectrolytes.

Electrolytes are substances that, when dissolved in water, dissociate into ions and conduct electricity. These are typically ionic compounds or substances that undergo ionization in water.

Nonelectrolytes, on the other hand, are substances that do not dissociate into ions in water and thus do not conduct electricity. These are usually molecular compounds.

Let's examine the options one by one:

A. KCl (Potassium Chloride):
- KCl is an ionic compound made up of potassium ions (K^+) and chloride ions (Cl^-).
- When KCl dissolves in water, it dissociates completely into ions.
- Hence, it is a strong electrolyte.

B. [tex]\(Cu _2 SO _4 \)[/tex] (Copper(II) sulfate):
- [tex]\( Cu_2SO_4 \)[/tex] is also an ionic compound comprised of copper ions (Cu^2+) and sulfate ions (SO_4 ^2-).
- When dissolved in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions.
- Therefore, it is a strong electrolyte.

C. [tex]\(NaNO _3 \)[/tex] (Sodium Nitrate):
- [tex]\( NaNO_3 \)[/tex] is an ionic compound consisting of sodium ions (Na^+) and nitrate ions (NO_3^-).
- It dissociates into ions when dissolved in water.
- Thus, it is a strong electrolyte.

D. [tex]\( C _6 H _{12} O _6 \)[/tex] (Glucose):
- [tex]\( C _6 H _{12} O _6 \)[/tex] is a molecular compound.
- It does not dissociate into ions when dissolved in water; rather, it disperses as intact molecules.
- As a result, it does not conduct electricity.

Hence, the compound that forms a nonelectrolyte solution in water is:

D. [tex]\( C_6 H_{12}O_6 \)[/tex] (Glucose)