QFR Experiment 7

1. Enumerate three (3) factors that affect the melting point of pure substances and explain the effect of each factor.

a) Presence of Impurities
- Impure solids melt at lower temperatures and may also melt over a wider temperature range, known
as melting point depression. The melting point range for pure solids is narrow, usually only 1 to 2
degrees Celsius, known as a sharp melting point. Impurities cause structural defects that make the
intermolecular interactions between the molecules easier to overcome. A sharp melting point is often
evidence that a sample is fairly pure, and a wide melting range is evidence that it is not pure.
b) Force of Attraction
- A strong attraction between molecules results in a higher melting point. In general, ionic compounds
have high melting points because the electrostatic forces connecting the ions – the ion-ion
interaction – are strong. In organic compounds, the presence of polarity, especially hydrogen
bonding, usually leads to a higher melting point. The melting points of polar substances are higher
than the melting points of nonpolar substances with similar sizes.
c) External Pressure
- Normal solids, e.g. iron, copper and wax, expand when they change into liquids. When pressure is
applied on the surface of a normal solid, expansion is suppressed and melting is delay. Thus, the melting
point of a normal solid is raised. Solids, like ice and bismuth, contract on melting into liquids. When
pressure is applied on the surface of such a solid, the change into the liquid is assisted. Thus, the melting
point of ice is lowered by the application of pressure.

https://sciencing.com/factors-affect-melting-point-8690403.html

2. Enumerate three (3) factors that affect the boiling point of pure liquids and explain the effect of each factor.

a) Pressure
- The biggest determinant of a liquid’s boiling point is the surrounding pressure. In an open system,
the outside pressure is most likely the earth’s atmosphere. Water, for example, reaches the standard
atmospheric pressure at 100 degrees Celsius. This measure is taken at sea level, where the full
weight of the earth’s atmosphere presses down upon the water. As elevation increases, water can
boil at a lower temperature. At the top of Mount Everest, water boils at around 72 degrees Celsius.
b) Intermolecular Bonds
- When we consider other liquids, more factors help to determine the boiling point. Chief among them
is the strength of the bonds between molecules. Ethyl alcohol, for example has a boiling point of
78.5 degrees Celsius at sea level. It is a liquid at room temperature and the bonds between its
molecules are comparatively strong. By contrast, Methyl ether has a “boiling” point of -25 degrees
Celsius. At room temperature and sea level, methyl ether is a gas.
c) Solutes, Solvents and Solutions
- An effective way of raising the boiling point of a liquid is to add another ingredient. While water at
sea level has a boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius, its boiling point can be raised by adding a
solute, such as salt. A solvent is any substance into which another is dissolved. The substance being
dissolved is called the solute. When a solute is dissolved into a solvent, a solution is created. A
solution usually boils at a higher point than the pure solvent.

https://sciencing.com/factors-affecting-boiling-point-8566896.html

3. Why is the melting point of a sample which has been previously melted different from the melting point of the
original sample? Explain.

- It is because of impurities; impurities affect the meting point of a substance. Foreign substances in a
crystalline solid disrupt the repeating pattern of forces that hold the solid together. So a smaller amount
of energy is required to melt the part of the solid surrounding the impurity.
 - If less energy is required, then this explains the melting point depression (lowering) observed from
impure solids.
- The more impure the solid is, the more the structure is disrupted and the greater the variation in
intermolecular forces in different areas of the solid.

https://kirsoplabs.co.uk/lab-aids/impure-solids-melt-lower-temperatures/

4. Aside from melting point and boiling point, what other simple test can you do to determine if a given solid or liquid
is pure or not? Explain briefly.

a) Physical Comparison with a Pure Standard

- One of the simplest ways to check the purity of any substance is to compare the substance with a
certified pure sample. Even physical comparisons can reveal a lot about the purity of a sample.
Visual comparison can reveal the presence of any large impurities, such as dirt or other differently
colored impurities. If the substance is nontoxic, a smell test can be used to compare it with the pure
sample. Any dissimilar odors indicate the presence of at least one impurity. If the substance is edible,
a taste test can be conducted. A difference between the taste of the substance and the taste of the
pure sample hints at the presence of impurities.
b) Colorimetric Methods
- There are many colorimetric methods for determining whether a substance is pure or if there are
impurities present. These usually involve the use of a chemical for detecting the presence of
common impurities, which will turn the chemical a certain color. These methods are simple and are
usually designed to determine the presence of impurities, not to determine the amount or the percent
purity of the substance. One common use of such colorimetric methods is in forensics, where color
tests are frequently used to identify illegal drugs as well as to determine their purity.
c) Analytical Methods for Testing Purity
- The most accurate means of determining the purity of a substance is through the use of analytical
methods. These methods, widely used in different industries, mostly involve chemical analysis,
which can pinpoint the presence, identity and amount of impurities in the sample. The simplest
chemical methods include gravimetry and titration. There are also the more advanced light -based or
spectroscopic methods, such as UV-VIS spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared
spectroscopy. Chromatographic methods, such as gas chromatography and liquid chromatography,
can also be used. Other methods used in testing the purity include mass spectroscopy, capillary
electrophoresis, optical rotation and particle size analysis.

https://sciencing.com/can-check-purity-substance-5950683.html