Which of the following will have the lowest boiling point?a)2-MethylBu...
Boiling point increases with increase in molecular mass. For the compounds with the same molecular mass, boiling point decreases with an increase in branching.
- The molecular mass of 2-Methylbutane: 72 g mol-1
- The molecular mass of 2-Methylpropane: 58 g mol-1
- The molecular mass of 2, 2-Dimethylpropane: 72 g mol-1
- The molecular mass of 2-Methylbutane: 72 g mol-1
- 2-Methylpropane has the lowest molecular mass among all of the given compounds.
Thus, 2-Methylpropane has the lowest boiling point among the given options.
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Which of the following will have the lowest boiling point?a)2-MethylBu...
The boiling point of a compound is determined by its intermolecular forces. The strength of these forces depends on factors such as molecular size, shape, and polarity. In this case, we are comparing four different compounds and determining which one has the lowest boiling point.
1. 2-MethylButane:
- This compound has a molecular formula of C7H16.
- It has a branched structure with a methyl group attached to the second carbon atom.
- The intermolecular forces in 2-methylbutane are primarily van der Waals forces, specifically London dispersion forces.
- The boiling point of 2-methylbutane is around -11.7°C.
2. 2-MethylPropane:
- This compound has a molecular formula of C4H10.
- It is an isomer of butane, with a branched structure and a methyl group attached to the second carbon atom.
- The intermolecular forces in 2-methylpropane are also London dispersion forces.
- The boiling point of 2-methylpropane is around -11.7°C, similar to 2-methylbutane.
3. 2,2-Dimethylpropane:
- This compound has a molecular formula of C5H12.
- It is also known as neopentane and has a highly branched structure with two methyl groups attached to the second carbon atom.
- The intermolecular forces in 2,2-dimethylpropane are primarily London dispersion forces.
- The boiling point of 2,2-dimethylpropane is around 9.5°C, higher than the previous two compounds.
4. n-Pentane:
- This compound has a molecular formula of C5H12.
- It is a straight-chain alkane with five carbon atoms and no branching.
- The intermolecular forces in n-pentane are also London dispersion forces.
- The boiling point of n-pentane is around 36.1°C, significantly higher than the previous three compounds.
Based on the comparison of boiling points, we can conclude that n-pentane (option D) has the lowest boiling point among the given compounds. This is because the straight-chain structure of n-pentane allows for more surface contact between molecules, leading to stronger London dispersion forces and higher boiling point compared to the branched isomers.
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