Organize the following solvents by increasing polarity A. Dichloromethane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether
B. Diethyl ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol
C. Ethyl acetate, ethanol, dichloromethane, diethyl ether
D. Ethanol, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, dichloromethane

B. Diethyl ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol

Explanation:

The polarity of solvents can be determined by their polarity indexes. Polarity index is defined as the measure of the ability of the solvent to interact with various polar test solutes.

Diethyl ether is the least polar with a polarity index of 2.8

Dichloromethane with a polarity index of  3.1

Ethyl acetate with a polarity index of 4.3

Ethanol is the most polar with a polarity index of 5.2

The differences in polarities of these solvents is due to their structure. Polar solvents have large dipole moments because they contain bonds between atoms with very different electronegativities, such as oxygen and hydrogen.

Because of the two non-polar methyl groups in diethyl ether, it is not as polar as dichloromethane which has two electronegative chlorine atoms attached to a carbon atom. Similarly too, because diethyl ether has two  strongly electronegative oxygen atoms sharing a bond with carbon, it has a larger dipole moment than dichloromethane. Ethanol has an oxygen hydrogen bond which has the largest dipole moment, thus, it is the most polar of the given solvents.