Which of the following solids dissolves readily in benzene but not in water?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Naphthalene
A solute dissolves in a solvent when the intermolecular interactions in the two are similar: like dissolves like. Benzene is a non-polar solvent and water is a polar solvent. Naphthalene is non-polar, so it dissolves readily in benzene but not in water.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) Sodium chloride — Incorrect. It is an ionic (polar) solute; it dissolves readily in water but not in benzene.
Option (2) Glucose — Incorrect. It is a polar solute, like sugar; it dissolves in water, not in benzene.
Option (3) Potassium chloride — Incorrect. Like sodium chloride, it is an ionic compound and dissolves in water, not in benzene.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
1.3.1 Solubility of a Solid in a Liquid – “…While sodium chloride and sugar dissolve readily in water, naphthalene and anthracene do not. On the other hand, naphthalene and anthracene dissolve readily in benzene but sodium chloride and sugar do not. It is observed that polar solutes dissolve in polar solvents and non polar solutes in non- polar solvents. In general, a solute dissolves in a solvent if the intermolecular interactions are similar in the two or we may say like dissolves like.”