DAT Destroyer - High Boiling Point

[JNguyen620]

Hey guys, I came across a question in Destroyer (#87) and it said that because alcohols have a high boiling point the mystery compound that has a high boiling point of 78 degrees is the answer.

What is considered a high boiling point? How do you know that 78 degrees is a high boiling point and would be an ether or an alcohol? I compared the two to water, which is at 100 degrees, but I know it has a high specific heat.

Thanks

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[deleted678432]

78 Celsius is a pretty high boiling point. Not sure if you've taken Ochem lab, but my hoodmate started a fire when she placed ether on a hotplate (if you havent taken lab... dont put ether on a hot plate) and it was definitely not anywhere near 78C. From this experience, I just remember that ether boils (and combusts apparently) at a pretty low temp (around 35C). This is what I'd call "low".

 

[DAT Destroyer]

Hey guys, I came across a question in Destroyer (#87) and it said that because alcohols have a high boiling point the mystery compound that has a high boiling point of 78 degrees is the answer.

What is considered a high boiling point? How do you know that 78 degrees is a high boiling point and would be an ether or an alcohol? I compared the two to water, which is at 100 degrees, but I know it has a high specific heat.

Thanks

Ethers are extremely volatile compounds with very low boiling points and high vapor pressures. This is an important trend you need to know. For example, ethanol boils around 79 degrees C.....while diethyl ether ether boils at MINUS 23 degrees C !!!! Ethers have very weak intermolecular attractions as compared to the hydrogen bonding between alcohol molecules.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Romano