AIM:

This experiment is conducted to determine the diffusion coefficient of a gas by

evaporation from a liquid surface.

DISCUSSION:
The objective of this experiment is to determine the diffusion coefficient of a
gas by evaporation from a liquid surface, by using Winklemanns method. In this
experiment, volatile liquid used is acetone in which it is contained in a narrow
diameter vertical tube, maintained at a constant temperature which is at 50C. An
air stream is passed over the top of the tube to ensure that the partial pressure of
the vapour is transferred from the surface of the liquid to the air stream by
molecular diffusion.
Diffusion can be defined as the movement of components or molecules from
one point to another due to existence of concentration gradient. Basically, they
moves from higher concentration gradient to lower concentration gradient. Based
on the result, level of acetone decreased with increased in time.
In this experiment, diffusion concept can be shown from the diffusion of
acetone. Water bath plays an important role as it generates heat to acetone in
capillary tube. When heat is generated, the movement of molecules in acetone
increases, causing it to have higher concentration gradient. Due to existence of
different concentration gradient between acetone and surrounding air, molecules
of acetone diffuse through capillary tube to the surrounding air which has less
concentration.

Graph in the result showed liquid level, which is the difference between
final level of acetone and initial level of acetone, in x-axis versus time taken
divided by liquid level in y-axis. From the graph, we can conclude that as the
liquid level increases, the time taken divided by liquid level also increases.
From the calculation, the diffusivity obtained is 6.326x 10-7 m2/s.
In this experiment, temperature remained constant, which is at 50C. This
is because the boiling point of acetone is at 56C, and when the temperature
is allowed to exceed the boiling point, this may cause problem as the liquid
level cannot be calculated.