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+ Physical chemistry
+ Solvents
+ Lithium
+ Water
+ Chemistry
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Kerry Opel

Would lithium chloride dissolve better in water or a non-polar solvent?

Ali McGuire  Follow

Lithium chloride is more soluble in water than in non-polar solvents. The interactions between the ions and the polar water molecules cause both the destruction of the LiCl crystal and the disruption of the hydrogen bonded network of H2O molecules in the liquid water so that the ions can be embedded among the water molecules. There would be little attraction between the ions in the crystal lattice and non-polar molecules. Thus, the LiCl would remain in the crystal structure while the non-polar molecules would retain their (weak) London force attractions for each other.

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Dave Brunfeldt  Follow

Lithium chloride is soluble in water, but not in nonpolar solvent. One of the factors affecting solubility is the nature of solute and solvent. “Like dissolves like” meaning same type of bond dissolve each other.

Lithium chloride has an ionic bond that can readily dissociate in water to form ions that can readily dissolve polar solvent. LiCl cannot dissociate in nonpolar solvent and remain as solid because they do not have the same type of bond.

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