Essential Chemistry 2
Introduction
The differences between boiling points of different liquids can be explained using some
chemistry laws. A boiling point of a liquid is the steady temperature at which the liquid changes
it states from liquid to gases state without change in temperature. The heat energy is absorbed
and used to weaken the attraction forces between the liquid molecules causing the
intermolecular distance to increasing thus changing the state from liquid to gases (Ferris, 2018).
Boiling point temperatures of liquids is determined by masses of molecules and the strength of
intermolecular forces existing within the structures of the liquids and these forces include
various types of bonds such van der Waals forces and hydrogen bond (Spencer L. Seager, 2013).
Intermolecular forces are caused by bonding of molecules of substances and this forces give a
substance it’s physical characteristics. The boiling temperatures is directly proportional to the
molecular mass and strength of forces existing within the molecules of a liquid thus as the
forces and molecular mass goes up so does the boiling point temperatures.
The Boiling Points
These four compounds namely 1-hexanol, 2-hexanol, 2-hexanone and 2-pentanone have
different boiling point temperatures. Their boiling point temperatures are as shown in table 1
below. The boiling point temperatures of the compounds differ due to intermolecular forces
(S.K. Bhasin, 2013). There are various types of intermolecular forces including weak van der
Waals forces and hydrogen bonding. In our case, weak van der waals forces also termed as
weak London dispersion forces is evident in hydrocarbons whereby it exists between layers of
molecules while in hydrogen bonding dipolar force exists caused by hydrogen atoms (Pillon,
2016). As shown in table 1 below, 1-Hexanol (C6H14O) is first in table with a boiling temperature
of 157 oC, followed by 2-hexanol (C6H14O) having a boiling temperature of 137 oC. Their high
boiling is due to the high molecular mass caused by higher number of carbon atoms and in
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Organic Chemistry: Boiling Temperatures of Compounds - Analysis Report