Which property would be most useful in distinguishing between butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol?
(A) Boiling point
(B) Colour
(C) Conductivity
(D) Density - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 6 - 2011 - Paper 1
Question 6
Which property would be most useful in distinguishing between butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol?
(A) Boiling point
(B) Colour
(C) Conductivity
(D) Density
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which property would be most useful in distinguishing between butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol?
(A) Boiling point
(B) Colour
(C) Conductivity
(D) Density - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 6 - 2011 - Paper 1
Step 1
Boiling point
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Answer
Boiling point is the most useful property for distinguishing between butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol. Butan-1-ol has a higher boiling point due to its larger molecular size and greater van der Waals forces compared to propan-1-ol. Measuring the boiling points can therefore effectively differentiate the two alcohols.
Step 2
Colour
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Answer
Colour is not a distinguishing feature for butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol, as both are typically colourless liquids. Therefore, this property would not help in identifying one from the other.
Step 3
Conductivity
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Answer
While conductivity can vary with the presence of ions in a solution, the difference in conductivity between butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol is not significant enough to be useful for distinguishing them directly.
Step 4
Density
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Answer
Density can help in distinguishing the two substances, but it is not as effective as boiling point because the densities of both butan-1-ol and propan-1-ol are relatively close to each other. Thus, using density alone may lead to ambiguity.
