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Chapter 11: Problem 8

If you lived in Alaska, which of the following natural gases would you keep in an outdoor storage tank in winter: methane \(\left(\mathrm{CH}_{4}\right),\) propane \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{3} \mathrm{H}_{8}\right),\) or butane \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{4} \mathrm{H}_{10}\right) ?\) Explain your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The most suitable gas for outdoor storage in Alaskan winter would be Butane (\(C_{4}H_{10}\)) because it has the highest boiling point among the three gases.

Step by step solution

01

Finding the boiling points

Begin by finding the boiling points of methane, propane, and butane. The boiling points of these gases are: Methane (\(CH_{4}\)): \(-164\) Celsius, Propane (\(C_{3}H_{8}\)): \(-42\) Celsius, and Butane (\(C_{4}H_{10}\)): \(-0.5\) Celsius.
02

Comparing the boiling points

Compare the boiling points of methane, propane, and butane. As the boiling point decreases, a substance is more likely to vaporize and therefore be less suitable for storage in cold temperatures.
03

Selecting the suitable gas

Considering the boiling points, Butane (\(C_{4}H_{10}\)) has the highest boiling point (\(-0.5\) Celsius) compared to Methane (\(CH_{4}\)) and Propane (\(C_{3}H_{8}\)), meaning it will stay in liquid state longer even in colder temperatures. For this reason, Butane would be the best choice for storing outdoors in extremely cold weather such as that of Alaska.

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