Question

Name the compound with the highest boiling points?

Answer 1

Boiling point:

1. The temperature at which a liquid's vapor pressure equals the pressure surrounding the liquid and the liquid changes into a vapor is known as the boiling point of that substance.
2. Boiling point of a molecule is affected by the pressure around it, temperature, and the type of molecule it is.
3. The intensity of intermolecular interactions in a liquid influences its boiling point as well.
4. We all know that the boiling point is determined by vapor pressure, which is determined by the strength of intermolecular forces.
5. Because it has a high vapor pressure and a low boiling point, a liquid with weak intermolecular interactions is easy to evaporate.
6. A liquid with strong intermolecular interactions, on the other hand, will not easily evaporate due to its high boiling point.
7. Sequence of intermolecular forces are as follows - Ion-dipole$>$ Hydrogen bonding$>$ Dipole-dipole$>$ Dipole induced dipole$>$ Dispersion forces.
8. Therefore, molecules with hydrogen bonding or ion-dipole force will have a high boiling point.

Alcohols:

1. Alcohol is an organic molecule with at least one hydroxyl functional group ($\mathrm{OH}$) linked to a saturated carbon atom.
2. Alcohol has a higher boiling point due to the presence of the hydroxyl group.
3. Because oxygen has a higher share of negative electrons than carbon or hydrogen, the molecule gains maximum polarity which results in hydrogen bonds, that are more powerful, and are used to keep the molecules together.
4. Hence, more energy is required to break the hydrogen bond in alcohols. As a result, their boiling points are extremely high.

Therefore, Alcohols have the highest boiling points.