With an explanation of your answer, arrange the following compounds in order of increasing boiling point.
1.butane
2.butanoic acid
3.methyl propane
simplest and most compact is methyl propane. Lowest.
largest and hydrogen bonding butanoic acid. Highest
middle is in the middle with butane. in middle.
To arrange the compounds in order of increasing boiling point, we need to consider the intermolecular forces acting between the molecules. The stronger the intermolecular forces, the higher the boiling point.
1. Butane: Butane is a hydrocarbon compound consisting of four carbon atoms and ten hydrogen atoms (C4H10). It is an alkane with no functional groups. The only intermolecular forces acting between butane molecules are London dispersion forces, which are weak forces caused by temporary fluctuations in electron density. Since butane has a relatively low molecular weight and simple molecular structure, it has weaker intermolecular forces compared to the other compounds. Therefore, butane has the lowest boiling point.
2. Methyl propane: Methyl propane is also known as 2-methyl propane or isobutane (C4H10). It is an isomer of butane, with the same molecular formula but a slightly different arrangement of atoms. Like butane, isobutane is also an alkane and only experiences London dispersion forces between its molecules. However, due to the branched structure of isobutane, the molecules cannot pack as closely together as in butane, leading to weaker intermolecular forces. Therefore, methyl propane has a slightly higher boiling point than butane.
3. Butanoic acid: Butanoic acid (C4H8O2), also known as butyric acid, contains a carboxyl group (COOH) which makes it a carboxylic acid. In addition to London dispersion forces, carboxylic acids also have stronger intermolecular forces known as hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding occurs because the hydrogen atom in the carboxyl group can form a bond with the oxygen atom of another molecule. This results in stronger attractions between the butanoic acid molecules, requiring more energy to break the intermolecular bonds. Therefore, butanoic acid has the highest boiling point among the three compounds.
So, the correct order of increasing boiling point is:
1. Butane
2. Methyl propane
3. Butanoic acid
To determine the order of increasing boiling point among the given compounds, it is essential to consider the intermolecular forces present in each compound.
1. Butane: Butane is a hydrocarbon with the molecular formula C4H10. It consists of only non-polar covalent bonds. Non-polar compounds like butane have weak intermolecular forces called London dispersion forces. These forces arise due to temporary fluctuations in electron distribution within molecules. London dispersion forces are generally relatively weak, resulting in relatively low boiling points.
2. Butanoic acid: Butanoic acid, also known as butyric acid, has the molecular formula C4H8O2. It contains both polar covalent bonds and a functional group called a carboxyl group (-COOH). The carboxyl group allows for hydrogen bonding, which is a stronger type of intermolecular force. Hydrogen bonding occurs when a hydrogen atom is directly bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) and interacts with an electronegative atom in another molecule. Due to the presence of hydrogen bonding, butanoic acid has stronger intermolecular forces than butane, resulting in a higher boiling point.
3. Methyl propane: Methyl propane, also known as 2-methylpropane or isobutane, has the molecular formula C4H10. It is an isomer of butane and shares the same type of intermolecular forces, namely London dispersion forces. Like butane, methyl propane has weak intermolecular forces and therefore a relatively low boiling point.
In summary, the increasing order of boiling points for the given compounds is:
1. Butane (C4H10)
2. Methyl propane (C4H10)
3. Butanoic acid (C4H8O2)