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Chapter 11: Problem 9

List the three states of matter in order of (a) increasing molecular disorder and (b) increasing intermolecular attraction. (c) Which state of matter is most easily compressed?

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) Solid, Liquid, Gas (b) Gas, Liquid, Solid (c) Gas is most easily compressed.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding molecular disorder

Molecular disorder refers to the randomness of molecule arrangements in a substance. In general, as substances change state from solid to liquid to gas, their molecular disorder increases. This is because the particles in solids are closely packed together in a fixed arrangement, particles in liquids are also close together but are not in a fixed arrangement, and particles in gases are widely scattered and their arrangement is highly random.
02

Arranging states by increasing molecular disorder

Now that we understand that molecular disorder increases from solid to liquid to gas, we can easily list the states in order of increasing molecular disorder: 1. Solid 2. Liquid 3. Gas #b. Ordering states by intermolecular attraction#
03

Understanding intermolecular attraction

Intermolecular attraction refers to the force between the molecules in a substance. In general, these forces are stronger in solids, intermediate in liquids, and weakest in gases. This is because the particles in solids are closely packed together, particles in liquids are still close together but are not in a fixed arrangement, and particles in gases are widely scattered.
04

Arranging states by increasing intermolecular attraction

Now that we understand that intermolecular attraction is the strongest in solids, intermediate in liquids, and weakest in gases, we can easily list the states in order of increasing intermolecular attraction: 1. Gas 2. Liquid 3. Solid #c. Identifying the most easily compressed state#
05

Understanding compressibility

Compressibility is the ability of a substance to reduce its volume under applied pressure. When a substance is compressed, its particles are forced closer together. In general, gases are much more compressible than liquids and solids because the particles in gases are widely scattered and not already closely packed together like in liquids and solids.
06

Identifying the most easily compressed state

Now that we know that gases have the greatest compressibility, we can identify the most easily compressed state of matter: The most easily compressed state of matter is gas.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Ethyl chloride \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{Cl}\right)\) boils at \(12^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) . When liquid \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{Cl}\) under pressure is sprayed on a room-temperature \(\left(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\right)\) surface in air, the surface is cooled considerably. (a) What does this observation tell us about the specific heat of \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{Cl}(g)\) as compared with that of \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{Cl}(l) ?\) Assume that the heat lost by the surface is gained by ethyl chloride. What enthalpies must you consider if you were to calculate the final temperature of the surface?

One of the attractive features of ionic liquids is their low vapor pressure, which in turn tends to make them nonflammable. Why do you think ionic liquids have lower vapor pressures than most room-temperature molecular liquids?

Which member in each pair has the greater dispersion forces? (a) \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) or \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{S},(\mathbf{b}) \mathrm{CO}_{2}\) or \(\mathrm{CO},(\mathbf{c}) \operatorname{siH}_{4}\) or \(\mathrm{GeH}_{4}\) .

(a) Which is generally stronger, intermolecular interactions or intramolecular interactions? (b) Which of these kinds of interactions are broken when a liquid is converted to a gas?

(a) How does the average kinetic energy of molecules compare with the average energy of attraction between molecules in solids, liquids, and gases? (b) Why does increasing the temperature cause a solid substance to change in succession from a solid to a liquid to a gas? (c) What happens to a gas if you put it under extremely high pressure?
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