Why do HCl, HNO₃, etc., show acidic characters in aqueous solutions while solutions of compounds like alcohol and glucose do not show acidic character?
HCl, HNO₃, etc., show acidic characters in aqueous solutions because they produce hydrogen ions (H⁺) in the presence of water. When these acids dissolve in water, they dissociate to release H⁺ ions, which combine with water molecules to form hydronium ions (H₃O⁺). For example: HCl + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + Cl⁻. These hydrogen ions are responsible for their acidic properties.
On the other hand, compounds like alcohol and glucose contain hydrogen but do not show acidic character. This is because they do not dissociate in aqueous solution to produce hydrogen ions. Since no H⁺ ions are released in solution, alcohol and glucose solutions do not exhibit acidic properties and do not conduct electricity.
Explanation
The textbook explains that acids contain H⁺ ion as cation and produce hydrogen ions in solution, which are responsible for their acidic properties. The context specifically mentions that glucose and alcohol solutions do not conduct electricity, indicating they do not produce ions. The key distinction is that while both types of compounds contain hydrogen, only acids like HCl and HNO₃ can separate H⁺ ions from their molecules in the presence of water, whereas alcohol and glucose cannot dissociate to release H⁺ ions.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify that acids produce H⁺ ions in aqueous solution which cause acidic character
Step 2: Explain that alcohol and glucose contain hydrogen but cannot dissociate to release H⁺ ions in solution