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JEE Chemistry 2025 Question with Solution

Given below are two statements: Statement I: Dimethyl ether is completely soluble in water. However, diethyl ether is soluble in water to a very small extent.

Statement II: Sodium metal can be used to dry diethyl ether and not ethyl alcohol.

In the light of the given statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

  • A

    Statement I is false but Statement II is true

  • B

    Both Statement I and Statement II are false

  • C

    Statement I is true but Statement II is false

  • D

    Both Statement I and Statement II are true

Answer

Correct answer:D

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: Two statements about the solubility of ethers in water and the use of sodium metal for drying diethyl ether and ethyl alcohol.

Find: Which option correctly identifies the truth values of Statement I and Statement II.

Statement I: The solution states that dimethyl ether has much greater solubility in water than diethyl ether, while diethyl ether is soluble only to a very small extent. Hence, the intended comparison supports Statement I as true.

Statement II: Sodium metal can be used to dry diethyl ether because it reacts with traces of water present in the ether. However, sodium cannot be used to dry ethyl alcohol because ethanol itself reacts with sodium to form sodium ethoxide and hydrogen.

2 C2H5OH+2 Na→2 C2H5ONa+H22 \, \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH} + 2 \, \text{Na} \rightarrow 2 \, \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{ONa} + \text{H}_2

Therefore, Statement I is true and Statement II is true. The correct option is D.

Detailed Statement Analysis

Given:

  • Statement I compares the solubility of dimethyl ether and diethyl ether in water.
  • Statement II discusses whether sodium metal can be used to dry diethyl ether and ethyl alcohol.

Find: The correct option.

  1. Analyze Statement I
  • the solution explains that diethyl ether is soluble in water only to a very small extent.
  • It also treats dimethyl ether as much more soluble than diethyl ether, so the statement is accepted as true in the source solution.
  1. Analyze Statement II
  • Sodium metal removes traces of water from diethyl ether by reacting with water.
  • But ethyl alcohol itself reacts with sodium, so sodium cannot be used as a drying agent for ethanol.
2 H2O+2 Na→2 NaOH+H22 \, \text{H}_2\text{O} + 2 \, \text{Na} \rightarrow 2 \, \text{NaOH} + \text{H}_22 C2H5OH+2 Na→2 C2H5ONa+H22 \, \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH} + 2 \, \text{Na} \rightarrow 2 \, \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{ONa} + \text{H}_2
  1. Since both statements are taken as true by the source solution, the correct option is D.

Note: The second extracted approach on the page appears inconsistent with the question text, but the primary solution explicitly concludes that the correct option is D.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming all ethers are insoluble in water. This is wrong because lower ethers can dissolve due to hydrogen bonding with water. Compare relative solubilities instead of applying a blanket rule.

  • Thinking sodium dries ethyl alcohol the same way it dries ether. This is wrong because ethanol itself reacts with sodium. A drying agent must not react with the solvent being dried.

  • Choosing an option based only on the word completely and ignoring the source solution's intended comparison. Here the solution explicitly treats Statement I as true, so the final answer must follow that resolved interpretation.

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