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Evaporation of Organic Solvents

Introduction
We conducted an experiment to investigate the temperature change associated
with the evaporation of several organic solvents and how it was related to strength
of the intermolecular forces of attraction in the solvents. We tested a variety of
organic solvents (alcohols and alkanes).
I initially predicted that pentane would be the most volatile and that 1-butanol
would be the least volatile.
Data
The data we collected is shown in the table below, along with their respective
molecular weights and whether or not the molecule contains hydrogen bonds. More
generally, the molecules with hydrogen bonds and higher molecular masses
Substance
ethanol
1propanol
1-butanol
n-pentane
methanol
n-hexane

t1
(C1)

t2
(C1)

Molecular mass
(g mol-1)

15
18

t = (t1 t2)
(C2)
10
7

46.08
60.11

Hydrogen
bonds
(Y/N)
Yes
Yes

25
25
26
25
26
24

22
8
10
10

4
17
16
14

74.14
72.17
32.05
86.20

Yes
No
Yes
No

Temperature change in evaporation of organic solvents


18
16
14
12
10
8
Temperature change (C)

6
4
2
0

Analy
sis

The graph above shows the corresponding temperature change associated with the
evaporation of different organic solvents. Pentane has the longest bar and butanol
has the shortest; this corresponds to a larger decrease in temperature. The solvents
in order of greatest to least temperature change are pentane, methanol, hexane,
ethanol, propanol, and butanol.

Temperature change in evaporation of organic solvents


18
16
14
12
10
Temperature change (C)

8
6
4
2
0

The
data also shows that the alcohols generally caused a much smaller temperature
change compared to that of the alkenes. This could be because alcohols contain
hydrogen and oxygen atoms, which creates hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bonds are
the strongest form of intermolecular forces of attraction, so the alcohols are
generally less volatile than the alkenes.

This graph shows the temperature change associated with the evaporation of
solvents as well as the molecular mass of each solvent. The varying heights of the
pairs of bars on each solvent imply that there is little correlation between molecular
mass and temperature change however, our knowledge of hydrogen bonds allows
us to discount this seeming lack of correlation.
Evaluation
One of the greatest challenges in conducting this experiment was determining the
base (starting) temperature of the probe. We decided using only one probe would
take too long, as wed have to wait for the probe to return to room temperature
after testing each solvent. We alternated between two instead; wed leave one to
heat back up to room temperature while the other one gathered data. However, we
were not sure when the temperature probe could be used again, as the temperature
probes stabilized at different readings even when left in the same environment for a
period of time. This systematic error would have resulted in a zero error in the
accuracy, affecting each of our readings by the same amount. It may have been
helpful to record the temperature of the room using a correctly calibrated
instrument and taking readings from the inaccurate instruments in light of the
accurate room temperature.
Another weakness in the methodology was that our environment was not as
controlled as we could have been. When left resting, the temperature probes
reading often fluctuated by as much as two degrees Celsius. This may have been
due to the open windows nearby, which allowed cold breezes into the room, which
may have sped up the rate of evaporation or decreased the temperature of the
probe. We could have closed the windows or placed our apparatus in a wind shield
of some sort in order to minimize random error. A repeat of the experiment with
each different solvent would also serve to minimize random error.

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