In this experiment, you will be testing the solubilities of several compounds in several solvents. You will then be asked to explain these results primarily in terms of the polarity of the solvent and the solute. This can be done only if you are able to determine whether a substance is polar or nonpolar.
The polarity of a compound is dependent on both the polarities of the individual bonds and the shape of the molecule. For most organic compounds, evaluating these factors can become quite complicated because of the complexities of the molecules. However, it is possible to make some reasonable predictions by just looking at the types of atoms which a compound possesses. As you read the following guidelines, it is important to understand that, although we often describe compounds as being polar or nonpolar, polarity is a matter of degree, ranging from nonpolar to highly polar.
Guidelines. These guidelines will be helpful in completing this laboratory experiment. They will help you to determine if a substance is polar or nonpolar and to make predictions about solubility.