Catherine Wrzesien

Carissa Fockler
Due 11-11-2015
Exploring Polar and Nonpolar Molecules
Introduction
Molecules can be polar or nonpolar; depending on the polarity of the bonds and the
shape of that molecule. A bond will be polar if the two connecting atoms have different
electronegativities, it will be nonpolar if the two connecting atoms have the same
electronegativity (Krishnan). The electronegativity is determined by the tendency of an atom to
pull electrons towards itself (Clark). With polar bonds the atom with the higher electronegativity
will pull the electrons stronger than the atom with less electronegativity, creating a polarity dipole
(direction) pointing towards the higher electronegative element. The nonpolar bonds have atoms
with the same level of electronegativitythey share electrons equally and therefore have no
polarity dipole. After deciding the polarity based on the bond polarity, the overall molecule
polarity can be altered if the shape allows for equal distribution of electron pairs and polar
bonds. For example CO2 has two polar bonds; however, the bonds are pulling equally in both
directions and cancel each other out. The polarity of a molecule affects its solubilitypolar
molecules will dissolve other polar molecules and nonpolar will dissolve nonpolar (UNC School
of Pharmacy). It is possible to explain many properties of a certain molecule based on whether
or not it dissolve in a polar or nonpolar substance.
This experiment began by mixing copper (II) sulfate, toluene and dithizone to observe
how dithizone can force some metals like copper (II) sulfate to mix with a nonpolar solvent when
it prefers a polar solvent. Next we separately mixed ethanol and 1-butanol with gasoline and
blue-colored water to observe with which substance ethanol and 1-butanol prefer to dissolve.
Thirdly, we combined cooking oil, water, egg yolk and water solution to observe the solubility
and consequently the polarity of oil with water and then all three together. Lastly, the
hydrophobic properties of Rain-x was observed by placing water droplets on a clean piece of
glass and a Rain-x coated piece of glass.
Experimental Procedure
Dithizone Extraction of Metal: Added 2 mL of aqueous copper (II) sulfate solution to
small test tube, then added 2 mL of toluene to that same tube. Corked the tube and shook to
mix the copper (II) sulfate solution and the toluene. Noted observations. Added a few,
specifically 4, drops of dithizone dissolved in toluene to the test tube. Corked and shook the
tube to mix all phases together then let the tube settle. Noted all observations in lab notebook.
Answered a few questions regarding the solubility of the copper (II) sulfate solution and the
toluene.
Phase Separation of Ethanol-Gasoline Fuels: Added 1 mL of anhydrous ethanol to test
tube 1, 1 mL of 1-butanol to test tube 2 and kept a third test tube empty. Drew a line on the
anhydrous ethanol and the 1-butanol to indicate the level of each substance. Added 5 mL of
gasoline to all 3 test tubes. Added a drop of blue-colored water to test tube 3, the one with only
gasoline in it, corked it and shook it to mix the contents. Determined if the water did or did not
dissolve into the gasoline. The water did not mix so a 2nd and 3rd drop of blue-colored water was

added. For the tube 1 (anhydrous ethanol), 5 mL of gasoline and 1 drop of blue-colored water
was added. The tube was corked and shaken in attempt to dissolve the water and it was
determined if the water dissolved or not. A second drop of blue-colored water was added,
corked and shaken and observations were recorded. A third drop was added, corked and
shaken. The solution appeared cloudy and it did not disappear so the solution was said aside
and allowed to settle. After a while of settling it was determined if the solution separated into two
layers and the level, in the test tube, of the bottom layer was compared to the initial layer of
ethanol. This process of adding drops of blue-colored water and comparing solution levels was
repeated for test tube 2 containing 1-butanol. Answered a few questions regarding the solubility
of gasoline, ethanol and 1-butanol.
Emulsion: Combined 1mL of cooking oil and 1 mL of water in a test tube, corked the tube
and shook it to mix. Added a 1:3 solution of egg yolk:water, corked and shook to mix. Any
changes in the solution were recorded. Answered a few questions regarding the aqueous and
non-aqueous solubility of oil and yolk/water.
Hydrophobic Surfaces and Surface Tension: Obtained two pieces of glassone coated
in Rain-x and one bare. Added a few drops of water to each glass and observed how the water
collected on each piece of glass. Drew a rough sketch of each piece of glass including a side
view that clearly showed how the drops of water sat on each surface. Answer a few questions
regarding the hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties of Rain-x.
Results
Dithizone Extraction of Metal: This part of the experiment consisted of mixing dithizone,
copper (II) sulfate, and toluene. The chemical reaction occurred between the copper (II) sulfate
and the dithizone, the corresponding chemical equation for this reaction is 2 C13H11N4SH (solv) +
Cu2+ (aq) Cu 2+ (C13H11N4S)2 (solv) + 2H+ (aq). When 2 mL of blue aqueous copper (II) sulfate
and 2 mL of colorless toluene was forced to mix the resulting solution minimally bubbled and
separated. Before the molecules separated into their own layer the solution temporarily was all
together and appeared as a very light blue. The two molecules separated into two layers with
the blue copper (II) sulfate on the bottom of the test tube and the colorless toluene on the top of
the test tube. After the dithizone was added to the toluene/copper (II) sulfate solution the new
solution also minimally bubbled, temporarily mixed and then separated into two layers. The
resulting two layers appeared as burnt orange on top, that being the toluene and dithizone, and
a blue on bottom, that being the copper (II) sulfate. Each solvents identity was determined by
the known color. The density of toluene is 867 kg/m3 ; while waters density is 1000 kg/m3
(Engineering Toolbox). Based on these numbers, it can be inferred that if copper (II) sulfate
solution was mixed with water the water would be on top like the light toluene.
Phase Separation of Ethanol-Gasoline Fuels: The first drop of blue-colored water with
5mL of gasoline, in test tube 3, resulted in two separate layers showing that the gasoline and
water did not mix. The second and third drop of blue-colored water into only gasoline had the
same exact results. When the blue-colored water was first dropped in the gasoline, the blue
drop was visible in the center of the test tube but the moment the tube was shaken the blue
drop became a layer. When 5 mL of gasoline was added to the ethanol tube and the first drop of
blue-colored water was dropped in the water dissolved into the gasoline and ethanol. The
second drop of blue-colored water into gasoline and ethanol had the same results of dissolving
water. The third drop also dissolved; but, after this drop the solution became cloudy. After the

solution was set aside to allow the cloudiness to dissolve the solution had produced two new
layersthe bottom layer was at the same level of the previously marked level of just ethanol.
When this process was repeated for the gasoline and 1-butanol test tube the results were a little
different. With each of the 3 drops of blue-colored water the water dissolved completely.
Emulsion: When 1 mL of cooking oil and 1 mL of water was mixed together it was clear
that the oil and water separated into two layers. When the 1:3 solution of egg yolk:water was
added to the cooking oil/water solution all three things mixed together.
Hydrophobic Surfaces and Surface Tension: When a few drops of water were dropped
onto the bare piece of glass the water flattened across the surface (Figure 1). When drops of
water were dropped onto the Rain-X covered piece of glass the water bubbled up on the surface
(Figure 2).

Figure 1. Water on bare piece of glass

Figure 2. Water on Rain-X covered piece of glass

Discussion
It was clear that a copper-dithizone complex was formed in part one of the experiment
because of the color change. After dithizone was added the solution became burnt orange, the
greenish dithizone had mixed with light blue copper (II) sulfate and made burnt orange. The
nonpolar dithizone caused the positively charged copper (II) sulfate ion to move from polar
water to nonpolar toluene. The resulting copper-dithizone complex dissolves in hydrophobic
organic solvents, such as toluene, because the nonpolar dithizone allows it to dissolve in the
nonpolar toluene. Copper (II) ions alone would not dissolve in an organic solvent, like toluene,
because they are not alike, and it is very true that like dissolves like.
Part 2 of the experiment involved water, ethanol, 1-butanol, and octane (main
component of gasoline). Each of these molecules have different polarities based on their
structureswater is polar, ethanol is partially polar, 1-butanol is partially polar and octane is
nonpolar. Each of these molecules also have distinctly strong intermolecular forces within a pure
solution of each. Waters strongest IMF would be hydrogen bond. Although ethanol does have

an IMF of dispersion, its strongest is a hydrogen bond because of the one oxygen on the end. 1butanol also has dispersion; but its strongest too is the hydrogen bond. Because octane is
nonpolar its strongest IMF is dispersion. Ethanol is more soluble in water than gasoline because
water and ethanol both have hydrogen bonds as their strongest IMF. This prediction does
indeed match the experimental observations, this was obvious because the ethanol layer after
adding water was the same as before it was added. 1-butanol is more soluble in gasoline rather
than water because gasoline and 1-butanol have the most similar properties.
An emulsifier is a compound that forces molecules that dont normally mix, like water
and oil, to stay together and not separate. This works by the compound having different
headsone is hydrophilic and dissolves in the water and the other is hydrophobic
hydrocarbon chain that dissolves in the oil (GCSE Science). The results of this experiement
showed that water and oil alone do not mix; however, when egg yolk:water solution was added
to the test tube everything mixed together. This tells us that egg yolk is indeed an emulsifier.
Surface tension, the measure of the elastic force in the surface of a liquid, controls the
shapes of liquid drops (Burdge, 482-83). On a plain surface water drops will flatten out; but,
some chemicals can force water to bubble up. A hydrophilic surface will make water spread and
flatten out because the water likes the surface. A hydrophobic surface will make water bubble
up and form a bead because the water is afraid of the surface. Based on this information and
the fact that the piece of glass with Rain-X caused water to bubble up, it is clear that Rain-X is a
hydrophobic chemical. Because the water on the bare piece of glass flattened out it is inferred
that bare glass is hydrophilic.

Conclusion
Copper (II) ions would not dissolve in an organic solvent because the polarities do not
agree. Water induces the separation of ethanol and gasoline but not that of 1-butanol and
gasoline. Egg yolk is an emulsifier because it forces oil and water to mix. A Rain-X treated
surface is hydrophobic because it makes water bubble up and form a bead.

Literature Cited
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Clark, Jim. ELECTRONEGATIVITY. Chemguide.co.uk. ChemGuide, Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Nov.
2015.
Krishnan, Professor. POLAR AND NONPOLAR COMPOUNDS. Polar vs Nonpolar. STLCC,
2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
Liquids Densities. Liquids Densities. Engineering Toolbox, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
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The Pharmaceutics and Compounding Laboratory. The Pharmaceutics and Compounding
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What Is an Emulsifier? How Does an Emulsifier Work? What Are Hydrophilic and
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