1

2
TABLE OF CONTENT

ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................................

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................

OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................................................

MATERIALS.........................................................................................................................................

METHODS............................................................................................................................................

RESULTS..............................................................................................................................................

DISCUSSION........................................................................................................................................

CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................

PRE – LAB QUESTIONS...................................................................................................................

REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................

3
ABSTRACT
There are different methods that measure the melting point of a particular material, such as
the capillary method. The capillary method is a basic procedure for determining the boiling
point of an organic compound. An unused glass capillary tube is inverted into a container
holding the pure compound in the liquid state in this setup. The vapor pressure of the sample
rises as the solvent is heated, and gaseous vapor begins to penetrate the glass capillary tube.
The trapped air is forced out, resulting in bubbles arising from the capillary tube's bottom.
The liquid is allowed to cool at this stage. Water will continue to reach the glass capillary
tube until the vapor pressure of the sample equals the ambient pressure within the tube. The
boiling point of the liquid compound is the temperature of the solution when this
phenomenon happens. The sharp melting points were observed. These were of 63.25 °C
boiling points for methanol, and 78 0C boiling points for ethanol and 82.5 °C melting points
for isopropyl, respectively. All in all, the results were reliable and illustrated the physical
property which is used to distinguish organic liquid or to examine the compound's purity.

4
INTRODUCTION
The boiling point is an inherent feature of a pure liquid material. The boiling point
corresponds, to the temperature at which the atmospheric pressure equals the vapor pressure.
The boiling point is usually adjusted to the temperature for which the vapor pressure of a
liquid is equal to 101,3 kPa, this is done for purposes of comparability. Besides the
atmospheric pressure, the boiling point is depending on the molecular weight, the molecular
content, the intermolecular forces and impurities of a liquid ("lab report on determination of
boiling point of organic compounds", 2021).

If the atmospheric pressure reduces, the boiling point of a liquid decreases. The Vapor
Pressure-Temperature Curve above shows this. For example, the atmospheric pressure is 760
mm Hg at sea level and water boils at 100 degrees C. However, the atmospheric pressure is
about 670 mm Hg at 1050 m above sea level, and water boils at roughly 96.6 degrees C.

Figure 1_Vapour Pressure -Temperature Curve for Water

Three trends that affect to the boiling points

- Strength of intermolecular forces

- Branching decreases the boiling point
- Symmetry - Length of carbon-carbon chain

5
 - Polarity
I. Length of carbon-carbon chain

The boiling point increase with the number of carbon atoms or the length of a carbon-carbon
chain increases ("Determination of Boiling Point of an Organic Compound", 2021). This is
due to the fact that as the molecule gets longer and contains more electrons, the force of
attraction between the molecules increases. The boiling point increases as it requires more
energy to conquer the force of attraction.

II. Branching decreases the boiling point

The surface area of a compound increases as the length of the carbon chain increases. The
dispersion force of Van der Waals is proportional to the surface area. As a result, increasing
surface area enhances individual molecules' ability to attract one another. Since branching in
molecules limits the surface area, the attractive force among individual molecules is
decreased. As a result, the boiling point decrease ("Boiling Point of an Organic Compound
(Theory) : Class 11 : Chemistry : Amrita Online Lab", 2021).

III. Polarity

The force of attraction among molecules in the liquid state is determined by the polarity of
the molecules. The positive terminal of one molecule is drawn to the negative end of another
molecule in polar compounds ("Boiling Point of an Organic Compound (Theory) : Class 11 :
Chemistry : Amrita Online Lab", 2021). This means that the reverse charge effect draws
polar molecules. The functional group of a molecule decides its polarity. The boiling point
increases with increasing polarity.

IV. Strength of intermolecular forces

The boiling point of a compound is affected by the relative strength of intermolecular forces
such as ionic, hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interaction, and Vander Waals dispersion
force. The impact of these forces is determined by the functional group that is present.
Considering butane, as well as its three derivatives: diethyl ether, n-butanol, and sodium n-
butoxide.

- Butane: -1 to 1 0C
- diethyl ether :35 0C

6
- n-butanol: 117 0C
- Sodium n-butoxide: >260 0C

7
OBJECTIVES
- To determine the boiling point of an organic compound.

MATERIALS

- 100ml glass beaker

- Thermometer
- Stirrer
- Small thin walled test tube
- The given liquid - phenol
- Conc. H2SO4
- Capillary tube [ 5-6cm in length]
- Wire gauze
- Thread
- Tripod stand or Paraffin
- Bunsen burner
- Stand with clamp

8
METHODS

 First, the small test tube was filled 2/3 full with the liquid needed to determine the
boiling point.
 The test tube was fitted with a rubber band around the thermometer, so that the
thermometer bulb was centered at the bottom of the tube.
 The rubber band was fitted near the mouth of the tube so that it was outside the
acid bath.
 Half of the beaker was filled with paraffin, which was then placed on a wire gauze
placed on a triangular stop.
 The test tube and thermometer were fixed to the iron station using cork.
 The thermometer was then lowered into the acid bath with the tube.
 A capillary tube was taken and one end was sealed by heating it. Subsequently,
the capillary tube was placed in the test tube containing the given fluid, then the
sealed portion remained in the fluid.
 The paraffin bath was slowly heated and the bath was gently stirred.
 Temperature (t1) was recorded as the continuous bubble flow began to exit.
 When the bubble evolution stopped at the end of the capillary tube, the fire was
removed and the temperature (t2) was recorded.
 The boiling point of the liquid at the mean of these two temperatures was
obtained.
 The temperature was allowed to drop by 10oC and the heating was repeated to
record the boiling point again.

9
RESULTS

Note the temperature when;

Boiling Point of
Organic Rapid and The evolution of the given
compound continuous gas bubbles just organic liquid
evolution of gas stops t2 (0C) (t1 + t2 / 2 (oC)
bubbles occurs (after removing
t1(0C) from the flame)
Methanol 64.1 62.4 63.25

Ethanol 77.1. 78.1 78

Isopropyl 82.3 82.6 82.45

10
DISCUSSION
The experiment was mainly conducted to determine the boiling point of an organic
compound. Methanol, Ethanol and Isopropyl were used for this experiment. The boiling point
is an inherent feature of a pure liquid material. The boiling point corresponds, to the
temperature at which the atmospheric pressure equals the vapor pressure ("Boiling Point of
an Organic Compound (Theory) : Class 11 : Chemistry : Amrita Online Lab", 2021).

There are different methods that measure the melting point of a particular material, such as
the capillary method. The capillary method is a basic procedure for determining the boiling
point of an organic compound. An unused glass capillary tube is inverted into a container
holding the pure compound in the liquid state in this setup. The vapor pressure of the sample
rises as the solvent is heated, and gaseous vapor begins to penetrate the glass capillary tube.
The trapped air is forced out, resulting in bubbles arising from the capillary tube's bottom.
The liquid is allowed to cool at this stage. Water will continue to reach the glass capillary
tube until the vapor pressure of the sample equals the ambient pressure within the tube. The
boiling point of the liquid compound is the temperature of the solution when this
phenomenon happens.

This test was performed using the capillary method. For handling melting point samples,
thin-walled capillary melting point tubes were used. For one end, this tube has to be sealed.
But certain pre-sealed tubes are used in some laboratory, or by placing the tip into a Bunsen
flame at the base of its flame and converting the tube into fingertips, an open capillary can be
closed (2021). To move the crystals from the open end to the bottom of the tube, a gentle tap
was made on the top edge of the bench.

Confirm to see whether the capillary tubes are fully sealed. It also is vital to make sure the
capillary tubes' seal point is immersed in the liquid. And always follow all safety precautions
and use proper lab equipment. The lower end of the ignition tube and the thermometer bulb
were kept at the same level. Temperature [t 1] was recorded as the boiling point at which the
bright and continuous evolution of bubbles begins from the lower end of the capillaries
immersed in the liquid organic compound. If the liquid rises in the enclosed capillary tube
after being inserted in the test tube, it means that the capillary tube is not properly sealed.
Replace this capillary tube with a new, sealed one. The capillary tube's enclosed point should

11
be deep below the liquid. To ensure uniform heating, the paraffin bath must be heated slowly
and the paraffin stirred ("Determination of Boiling Point of an Organic Compound", 2021).

Figure 2_Determination of Boiling points

As a result, here it was possible to obtain a temperature of 63.25 0C for methanol and 78 0C
for ethanol. This confirmed that as the carbon chain length or its atomic mass increases, its
boiling temperature also increases.

Figure 3_Structures of isopropyl and 1-propanol

12
The isopropyl was able to obtain a temperature of 82.45 0C, but the temperature in 1-
Propanol was higher than that of the isopropyl [ Isopropyl alcohol is a structural isomer of 1-
Propanol and Ethyl methyl ether], which was 97 0C. It causes the surface area of this 1-
Propanol. The surface area of a compound increases as the length of the carbon chain
increases. The dispersion force of Van der Waals is proportional to the surface area. As a
result, increasing surface area enhances individual molecules' ability to attract one another.
Since branching in molecules limits the surface area, the attractive force among individual
molecules is decreased. As a result, the boiling point decrease ("Boiling Point of an Organic
Compound (Theory) : Class 11 : Chemistry : Amrita Online Lab", 2021).

Conc. H2SO4 can be safely heated up to 280°C, while paraffin can be safely heated up to
220°C. Liquid paraffin can be used to calculate the boiling point of solids with lower boiling
points, while conc.H2SO4 can be used to determine the boiling point of solids with boiling
points higher than 200°C .

13
CONCLUSION
In this experiment we learned to determine the boiling point of an organic compound. Purity
of liquid and identity can often be determined using boiling points. The sharp melting points
were observed. These were of 63.25 °C boiling points for methanol, and 78 0C boiling points
for ethanol and 82.5 °C melting points for isopropyl, respectively. All in all, the results were
reliable and illustrated the physical property which is used to distinguish organic liquid or to
examine the compound's purity.

14
PRE – LAB QUESTIONS

1. When does a liquid boil?

a) When its vapor pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
b) When its vapor pressure is much higher than the atmospheric pressure.
c) When its vapor pressure is slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure.
d) When its vapor pressure is much lower than the atmospheric pressure.

Answer - a

2. What is the boiling point of water at sea level?

a) 99 °C
b) 103.7 °C
c) 273 °C
d) 100 °C
Answer - d

3. What is the effect of molecular weight on the boiling point?

a) It increases with decrease in molecular weight.
b) It increases with increase in molecular weight.
c) Its molecular weight does not affect the boiling point.
d) It decreases with increase in molecular weight.

Answer - b

4. Which one of the following has the higher boiling point?

a) Butane
b) Methane
c) Propane
d) Pentane
Answer - d

15
5. Which of the following is true about the effect of pressure on the boiling point?
a) Pressure has no effect on the boiling point
b) Decreases with increase of pressure
c) Increase with decrease of pressure
d) Decreases with decrease of pressure

Answer - d

6. What will happen to the boiling point of the liquid if some non-volatile liquid is added
to it?
a) Decreases
b) No change
c) First increases and then decreases
d) Increases

Answer - d

7. What is the effect of an increase of altitude on the boiling point of a liquid?

a) Decreases
b) No change
c) Increases rapidly
d) Slightly Increases
Answer - a

8. What is the boiling point of water in hilly regions?

a) 100 °C
b) >>100 °C
c) >100 °C
Answer - <100 °C

16
9. What is the effect of hydrogen bonding on the boiling point?
a) Increases with increase of hydrogen bonding.
b) Hydrogen bonding does not affect the boiling point.
c) Increases with decrease of hydrogen bonding.
d) Decreases with increase of hydrogen bonding.

Answer - a

10. Carboxylic acids have higher boiling point than hydrocarbons of same molecular
weight. Why is this?
a) Stability
b) Hydrogen bonding
c) Acid character
d) Solubility
Answer - b

17
REFERENCES

Boiling Point of an Organic Compound (Theory) : Class 11 : Chemistry : Amrita Online Lab.
Amrita.olabs.edu.in. (2021). Retrieved 2 March 2021, from http://amrita.olabs.edu.in/?
sub=73&brch=7&sim=111&cnt=1.

lab report on determination of boiling point of organic compounds. Tawjeehdip.ae. (2021).

Retrieved 2 March 2021, from https://tawjeehdip.ae/kadar-al-xwxab/lab-report-on-
determination-of-boiling-point-of-organic-compounds-a42cd7.

Determination of Boiling Point of an Organic Compound. Vedantu.com. (2021). Retrieved 2

March 2021, from https://www.vedantu.com/chemistry/determination-of-boiling-point-of-an-
organic-compound.

Boiling Points. Chemistry LibreTexts. (2021). Retrieved 2 March 2021, from

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Organic_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Organi
c_Chemistry)/Fundamentals/Intermolecular_Forces/Boiling_Points.

18