Properties of Alcohols Flashcards
(7 cards)
1
Q
Which one has the higher boiling point for the same number of carbon atoms
alcohols or alkanes?
A
Alcohols
2
Q
Explain why alcohols have a higher boiling point than alkanes
A
- Alkanes are non-polar and only contain London forces
- Alcohols are polar and they contain both London forces AND hydrogen bonds
- Hydrogen bonds are stronger than London forces and require a greater amount of energy to break
- So alcohols have a higher boiling point than alkanes
3
Q
What is volatility?
A
How readily a molecule turns into a gas
4
Q
Which is more volatile alkanes or alcohols?
A
Alkanes
5
Q
Explain why alcohols are less volatile than alkanes
A
- Volatility is how readily a molecule turns into a gas
- Alcohols have a higher boiling point than alkanes and so they are less volatile than alkanes.
6
Q
Explain why alcohols are soluble in water
A
The polar -OH hydroxyl group forms a hydrogen bond with the water molecule
7
Q
Why are long-chain alcohols less soluble than short chain alcohols?
A
As the length of the non-polar carbon chain increases, a greater part of the molecule is unabe to form hydrogen bonds with water, and so the **water solubility decreases **
