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Pentanol, propyl acetate, pentanoic acid and ethyl propanoate all contain five carbon atoms - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 16 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 16
Pentanol, propyl acetate, pentanoic acid and ethyl propanoate all contain five carbon atoms. These four compounds are mixed in a flask and then separated by fraction... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Pentanol, propyl acetate, pentanoic acid and ethyl propanoate all contain five carbon atoms - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 16 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Which compound would be most likely to remain in the flask?
Answer
To determine which compound would most likely remain in the flask during fractional distillation, we need to consider the boiling points of the compounds listed. Generally, compounds with higher boiling points will remain in the flask longer while those with lower boiling points will evaporate first.
- Pentanol - A straight-chain alcohol with relatively high boiling point due to hydrogen bonding.
- Propyl acetate - An ester with a lower boiling point compared to pentanol.
- Pentanoic acid - A carboxylic acid, which also has a higher boiling point due to hydrogen bonding.
- Ethyl propanoate - An ester, usually having lower boiling points compared to alcohols and acids.
Among these, pentanol has the highest boiling point because of its ability to form strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Therefore, pentanol would be the compound most likely to remain in the flask.