Question

Both ammonia (nh3) and phosphine (ph3) are soluble in water. which is least soluble and why? phosphine because it does not form hydrogen bonds with water molecules phosphine because the p-h bonds are so strong that they cannot break to enable phosphine to hydrogen-bond with water ammonia because the n-h bonds are so strong that they cannot break to enable the ammonia to hydrogen-bond with water ammonia because it does not form hydrogen bonds with water mole

Answer 1

Answer:

            Phosphine is least soluble because it does not form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.

Explanation:

                   Hydrogen Bonding interactions are created between two molecules having a Hydrogen atom attached to most electronegative atom like Fluorine, Oxygen and Nitrogen on one molecule and the the most electronegative atom of the second molecule.

                    In given case, water contains a most electronegative atom like Oxygen, also it contains hydrogen directly attached to oxygen but in Phosphine (PH₃) there is no most electronegative atom as Phosphorous is less electronegative.

                    Hence, Phosphine fails to develop Hydrogen bonding with water molecules therefore it is less soluble than NH₃.

Answer 2

Phosphine is less soluble in water than ammonia because it does not form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.

Further Explanation:

Intermolecular forces:

As is evident from its name, these forces exist between different molecules. Such forces can be either attractive or repulsive in nature. Molecules are held together in different substances by virtue of intermolecular forces.

Types of intermolecular forces:

1. Ion-dipole forces

2. Ion-induced dipole forces

3. Dispersion forces

4. Hydrogen bonding

Hydrogen bonding is the intermolecular force that exists between highly electronegative elements (O, F, N) and hydrogen atom. this can be either intramolecular or intermolecular in nature.

In $\text{NH}_3$, highly electronegative nitrogen atom is present and hydrogen atom is present in $\text{H}_2\text{O}$. Nitrogen atom of $\text{NH}_3$ can easily form hydrogen bond with hydrogen atom of $\text{H}_2\text{O}$   molecules and therefore $\text{NH}_3$ is soluble in water. But $\text{PH}_3$ lacks the presence of any highly electronegative atom in it and so is unable to form hydrogen bonds with water. Therefore $\text{PH}_3$ is insoluble in water.

Learn more:

1. Number of covalent bonds formed by nitrogen: https://brainly.com/question/6029316

2. Chemical bonds in NaCl: https://brainly.com/question/5008811

Answer details:

Grade: High School

Subject: Chemistry

Chapter: Intermolecular forces

Keywords: phosphine, ammonia, NH3, PH3, soluble, insoluble, water molecules, intermolecular forces, hydrogen bonds, attractive, repulsive, nitrogen, hydrogen, N, O, F.