Experiment # 7

“Intermolecular Forces and

The Evaporation of Liquids”

Aya Sabry Safan

CHEM 117-501

3 November 2010

Lab partner: Varun Chauhan

Lab instructor: Layne Sarvela

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Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to find out how the strength of the intermolecular forces
varies with the size and the structure of the molecule. This was done by through two different
measurements to institute the relative strength of intermolecular forces in some organic
solutions. In part A, the temperature changes was measured as the liquids evaporate. In part B,
the vapor pressure of two liquids (Methanol and Ethanol) was measured as a function of
temperature. As result, n-Pentane evaporated the fastest than the other solutions. Therefore, the
strength of its intermolecular force is the weakest. Additionally, methanol has larger vapor
pressure than ethanol at room temperature. This is because methanol has smaller molecular mass
and hence, it has less intermolecular forces than ethanol. This result is significant as it is
beneficial in industry. In order to obtain more yields with a higher efficiency of the process, the
optimum temperature and the pressure should be determined.
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Results

Before the experiment was preformed, several assumptions were made. First, the chemicals
should be handled carefully. In part A, the temperature probe should over the edge of the bench,
so that the tip is fully exposed to the air. In part B, we should handle carefully the hot water paths
when working, and connect the apparatus carefully.

Part A:

The table below shows some organic solutions and their corresponding change in temperature, as
well, their molecular weight.

Table 1: Molecular weight and change in temperature of organic compounds

Solutions Molecular weight (g/mol) Change in temperature, 𝚫𝑻 (°𝐶)

Methanol 32 16.32
Alcohols 9.38
Ethanol 46
1-Propanol 60 8.51
1-Butanol 74 3.67
Alkanes n-Pentane 72 23.12
n-Hexane 86 15.22

In the table 1, it is shown clearly that as the weight increases, the change in temperature decrease
among the alcohols and the alkanes. This is because as the weight increases, the intermolecular
forces increase. Due to the presence of hydrogen bond in alcohols, the intermolecular force is
stronger than in alkanes. Hence, more energy is needed to break the bond. If we compared n-
pentane and 1-butanol which had nearly the same molecular weight, the change in temperature is
different. This is due to the presence of hydrogen bond (O-H) in 1-butanol which is a stronger
dipole-dipole bond than C-H bond. Thus, the hydrogen bond is not easily broken, and 1-butanol
won’t evaporate easily. As evaporation is an endothermic process, greater evaporation leads to a
greater change in temperature. Therefore, the strength of the intermolecular forces can be
indicated from the change in temperature. The greater change in temperature, the strength of the
intermolecular force is less. Accordingly, the solutions can be arranged from strongest to
weakest intermolecular strength as the following:
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Strongest intermolecular strength 1-Butanol

1-Propanol
Ethanol
n-Hexane
Methanol
Weakest intermolecular strength n-Pentane

In figure 1, the relationship between the molecular weight of alcohols and the temperature
change as the solutions evaporate is shown.

Temperature change Vs. Molecular weight of Alcohols

18
Temperature change (degree celsius)

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
32 46 60 74

Molecular weight (g/mol)

Figure 1: Temperature change versus molecular weight of alcohols

From figure 1, it is revealed clearly that there is an inversely proportional relationship between
the molecular weight of alcohols and the change in temperature as the liquids evaporate. As the
molecular weight increases, the change in temperature decreases, and vice versa.

Part B:

The measured pressure includes the pressure of the gas and the liquid within the system. In order
to determine the air pressure in the system with both solutions (methanol and ethanol), the
following relationship was used:
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𝑃2 𝑃1
=
𝑇2 𝑇1

Where P1 is the atmospheric pressure which was obtained before starting the experiment. For
both trails the values were close, 102.75 kPa and 102.38 kPa. T1 stands for initial room
temperature with was taken to be 293.15 K. Therefore, in order to determine the vapor pressure
of both solutions, these values was used. The values for the vapor pressure of methanol and
ethanol respectively are shown in table 2 and table 3.

In the table and the figure below, the temperature and vapor pressure of methanol, and their
relationship is shown.

Table 2: Temperature and vapor pressure of Methanol

Water bath Air pressure, P2 Vapor Pressure

temperature, T2 (K) (kPa) (kPa)
312.75 109.62 9.45
310.85 108.95 12.73
307.55 107.80 14.29
305.85 107.20 13.53
304.05 106.57 12.07
303.05 106.22 11.09
301.75 105.76 9.85
300.05 105.17 8.38
299.15 104.85 7.40
297.95 104.43 6.48
295.35 103.52 4.80
293.25 102.79 3.27
290.85 101.94 1.91
289.15 101.75 0.35
285.85 100.19 -0.37
284.35 99.67 -1.41
282.95 99.17 -1.98
282.15 98.89 -2.53
280.55 98.33 -2.80
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Vapor pressure Vs Temperature (Methanol)

14

12
Vapor pressure (kPa)

10

0
289.15 297.95 303.05 310.85

Temperature (Kelvin)

Figure 2: Vapor pressure versus temperature of methanol

In the table 2, as well in figure 2, it is shown clearly that vapor pressure and temperature have a
directly proportional relationship. As the temperature increases, the vapor pressure increases and
vice versa.

In the table and the figure 3, the temperature and vapor pressure of ethanol, and their relationship
is shown.
Table 3: Temperature and vapor pressure of Ethanol

Water bath Air pressure, P2 Vapor Pressure

temperature, T2 (K) (kPa) (kPa)
310.05 108.28 11.33
308.15 107.62 11.38
306.35 106.99 10.57
303.95 106.15 9.35
302.65 105.70 8.71
301.55 105.31 8.01
300.35 104.89 7.46
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Water bath Air pressure, P2 Vapor Pressure

temperature, T2 (K) (kPa) (kPa)
299.45 104.58 7.23
298.65 104.30 6.68
297.45 103.88 6.24
295.15 103.08 5.41
293.15 102.38 4.87
292.05 102.00 4.46
290.95 101.61 3.95
289.45 101.09 3.50
288.15 100.63 3.16
284.05 99.20 2.55
282.95 98.82 2.25
281.95 98.47 1.60
280.15 97.84 1.79
279.25 97.53 1.40
277.35 96.86 1.56
276.05 96.41 1.06

Vapor pressure Vs Temperature (Ethanol )

10
9
Vapor pressure (kPa)

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
277.35 288.15 297.45 303.95
Temperature (Kelvin)

Figure 3: Vapor pressure versus temperature of ethanol

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In the table 3, as well the figure, it is shown clearly that vapor pressure and temperature have a
directly proportional relationship. As the temperature increases, the vapor pressure increases and
vice versa.

Questions

1. Based on the results, the higher change in temperature, the strength of the intermolecular force
is less. Therefore, when ranking the solutions, the order was an unexpected ranking of n-hexane
and methanol. Since there is a hydrogen bond in methanol, this strength of its intermolecular
force should be stronger that the force in n-hexane. This indicates that the strength of the
intermolecular force doesn’t depend only upon the structure only. The molecular weight should
be considered. The molecular weight of n-hexane is 86 g/mol which is almost more than double
of the molecular weight of methanol which is 32 g/mol. Hence, the intermolecular force in n-
hexane is stronger than that is in methanol. Thus, the solutions can be orders from strongest to
weakest intermolecular force as the following:

1. 1-Butanol
2. 1-Propanol
3. Ethanol
4. n-Hexane
5. Methanol
6. n-Pentane

2. The direct relationship between the temperature and the vapor pressure can be explained
through the relation between the temperature and the molecules of the solutions. As the
temperature increases, the molecules gains more energy, and moves faster. This movement
causes a greater vapor pressure as more force is exerted upon the walls of the container.
Similarly, as the temperature decreases, the motion of the molecules decreases, reducing the
vapor pressure.

3. Methanol has larger vapor pressure at room pressure than Ethanol, although they have similar
structure and intermolecular forces. This is due to the small molecular size of methanol when
compared to ethanol. Moreover, this small molecular size makes it easier to overcome the
intermolecular force at the same temperature. Methanol has less number of hydrogen atoms
attached to carbon than ethanol. Hence, there is less London dispersion force (intermolecular
force), resulting in a larger vapor pressure.
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Calculations and In-lab Printouts

Change in temperature, 𝚫𝑻:

𝚫𝑻 = 𝑻𝒎𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎 − 𝐓𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦

𝚫𝑻𝑬𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒍 = 𝟐𝟏. 𝟗𝟐 °𝑪 – 𝟏𝟐. 𝟓𝟒 °𝑪

𝚫𝑻𝑬𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒍 = 𝟗. 𝟑𝟖 °𝑪

Molecular weight:

𝒎𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 = 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎(𝑨𝑴) × 𝒏𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎

𝑴𝑾𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒍 = (𝟏 × 𝑨𝑴𝑪 ) + (𝟑 × 𝑨𝑴𝑯 ) + (𝟏 × 𝑨𝑴𝑶 )

𝑴𝑾𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒍 = (𝟏 × 𝟏𝟐) + (𝟒 × 𝟏) + (𝟏 × 𝟏𝟔)
𝑴𝑾𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒍 = 𝟑𝟐 𝒈/𝒎𝒐𝒍

Changing temperature from degree Celsius to Kelvin:

𝑻(𝑲) = 𝒕(℃) + 𝟐𝟕𝟑. 𝟏𝟓

𝑻(𝑲) = 𝟐𝟎 ℃ + 𝟐𝟕𝟑. 𝟏𝟓
𝑻(𝑲) = 𝟐𝟗𝟑. 𝟏𝟓 𝑲

Air pressure in the system:

𝑷𝟐 𝑷 𝟏
=
𝑻𝟐 𝑻𝟏

𝑷𝟏 𝑻𝟐
𝑷𝟐 =
𝑻𝟏

𝟏𝟎𝟐. 𝟕𝟓 𝒌𝑷𝒂 × 𝟑𝟏𝟐. 𝟕𝟓𝑲

𝑷𝟐 =
𝟐𝟗𝟑. 𝟏𝟓 𝑲
𝑷𝟐 ≈ 𝟏𝟎𝟗. 𝟔𝟐 𝒌𝑷𝒂
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Vapor pressure in the system:

𝑽𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 = 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 − 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆

= 𝟏𝟏𝟗. 𝟎𝟕 𝒌𝑷𝒂 − 𝟏𝟎𝟗. 𝟔𝟐 𝒌𝑷𝒂

= 𝟗. 𝟒𝟓 𝒌𝑷𝒂