2.12 Explain, in terms of dissociation, why hydrogen chloride is acidic in water but not in methylbenzene

See also 2.11

Basically, the ions dissociate (split up) into Cl^- and H⁺ , making it acidic because of the H⁺ ions. This only happens in water.

In methylbenzene, the ions do not dissociate, and so hydrogen chloride does NOT become acidic ^_^