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Chapter 13: Problem 25

Explain why vitamin \(\mathrm{C}\) is soluble in water.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Vitamin C is soluble in water due to its polar nature and the presence of several -OH groups, which facilitate hydrogen bonding with water, causing it to dissolve easily.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the concept of Solubility

Solubility is the ability of a solute (in this case, vitamin C) to dissolve in a solvent (water). This depends primarily on two factors: 'like dissolves like' principle stating that polar substances will dissolve in polar solvents and non-polar substances will dissolve in non-polar solvents, and the solubility rules.
02

Identifying the nature of vitamin C and water

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a polar molecule because it has several polar bonds due to the presence of multiple -OH groups. Water (H2O) is a polar solvent, meaning it has slightly positive and slightly negative ends.
03

Explaining the solubility of Vitamin C in Water

Because both vitamin C and water are polar, they are attracted to each other. When vitamin C is placed in water, the polar water molecules interact with the polar vitamin C molecules. The positive hydrogen ends of water are attracted to the negatively charged oxygen ends of the vitamin C molecule (from its -OH groups). This is due to hydrogen bonding. These attractions overcome the forces holding the vitamin C molecules together, causing it to dissolve in water.

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