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Chapter 11: Problem 9

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

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) The three states of matter, ordered by increasing molecular disorder, are solid, liquid, and gas. The molecules in a solid are ordered and packed closely together, but in a liquid, they are arranged in a more disorderly manner. In a gas, the molecules are highly disordered and move freely. (b) The states of matter, sorted by increasing intermolecular attraction, are gas, liquid, and solid. Gases have the least intermolecular attraction because the molecules are far apart; liquids have more intermolecular attraction since the molecules are closer together; solids have the most attraction as their molecules are tightly packed and strongly attracted to each other. (c) Gases are the most easily compressed state of matter. Despite liquids being somewhat compressible, gases are more so due to the vast spaces between their molecules, which allow them to be forced closer together under pressure.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Molecular Disorder and Intermolecular Attraction

Molecular disorder refers to how randomly the molecules in a substance are arranged. In a substance with high molecular disorder, the molecules are disorganized and move about freely. Intermolecular attraction refers to the forces that hold molecules together. Higher attraction means the molecules are more tightly bound together.
02

Listing States of Matter in Order of Increasing Molecular Disorder

The three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. We need to list them in order of increasing molecular disorder, which means we start with the state that has the lowest molecular disorder and move to the one with the highest: 1. Solid \( \rightarrow \) lowest molecular disorder as the molecules are tightly packed in a regular pattern 2. Liquid \( \rightarrow \) moderate molecular disorder as the molecules are more randomly arranged than in solids but still somewhat held together 3. Gas \( \rightarrow \) highest molecular disorder, as the molecules are very randomly arranged and move freely
03

Listing States of Matter in Order of Increasing Intermolecular Attraction

Now we need to list the three states of matter in order of increasing intermolecular attraction, which means we start with the state that has the lowest intermolecular attraction and move to the state with the highest: 1. Gas \( \rightarrow \) lowest intermolecular attraction, as the molecules are far apart and experience weak forces 2. Liquid \( \rightarrow \) moderate intermolecular attraction, as the molecules are closer together than in gases, but not as close as in solids 3. Solid \( \rightarrow \) highest intermolecular attraction, as the molecules are tightly packed and strongly attracted to each other
04

Determining the State of Matter that is Most Easily Compressed

(c) The compressibility of a substance depends on how easily its molecules can be brought closer together. In the case of solids, the molecules are already closely packed, making them difficult to compress. Liquids are slightly more compressible, as their molecules have more room to move closer. Gases are the most compressible state of matter, due to the large spaces between their molecules, which allows them to be forced closer together under pressure. Therefore, the gas state of matter is the most easily compressed.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) Place the following substances in order of increasing volatility: $\mathrm{CH}_{4}, \mathrm{CBr}_{4}, \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{Cl}_{2}, \mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{Cl}, \mathrm{CHBr}_{3},\( and \)\mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{Br}_{2}$. (b) How do the boiling points vary through this series? (c) Explain your answer to part (b) in terms of intermolecular forces.

You are high up in the mountains and boil water to make some tea. However, when you drink your tea, it is not as hot as it should be. You try again and again, but the water is just not hot enough to make a hot cup of tea. Which is the best explanation for this result? (a) High in the mountains, it is probably very dry, and so the water is rapidly evaporating from your cup and cooling it. (b) High in the mountains, it is probably very windy, and so the water is rapidly evaporating from your cup and cooling it. (c) High in the mountains, the air pressure is significantly less than \(101.3 \mathrm{kPa}\), so the boiling point of water is much lower than at sea level. (d) High in the mountains, the air pressure is significantly less than \(101.3 \mathrm{kPa}\), so the boiling point of water is much higher than at sea level.

Suppose you have two colorless molecular liquids A and B whose boiling points are \(78^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) and \(112^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) respectively and both are at atmospheric pressure. Which of the following statements is correct? For each statement that is not correct, modify the statement so that it is correct. (a) Both A and \(B\) are liquids with identical vapor pressure at room temperature of \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C} .(\mathbf{b})\) Liquid A must consist of nonpo- (c) Both lar molecules with lower molecular weight than B. liquids A and \(B\) have higher total intermolecular forces than water. (d) Liquid \(\mathrm{A}\) is more volatile than liquid \(\mathrm{B}\) because it has a lower boiling point. (e) At \(112^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) both liquids have a vapor pressure of $1 \mathrm{~atm}$.

Propane \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{3} \mathrm{H}_{8}\right)\) is pressurized into liquid and stored in cylinders to be used as a fuel. The normal boiling point of propane is listed as \(-42^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). (a) When converting propane into liquid at room temperature of \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C},\) would you expect the pressure in the tank to be greater or less than atmospheric pressure? How does the pressure within the tank depend on how much liquid propane is in it? (b) Suppose the fuel tank leaks and a few liters of propane escape rapidly. What do you expect would happen to the temperature of the remaining liquid propane in the tank? Explain. (c) How much heat must be added to vaporize $20 \mathrm{~g}\( of propane if its heat of vaporization is \)18.8 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol} ?\( What volume does this amount of propane occupy at \)100 \mathrm{kPa}\( and \)25^{\circ} \mathrm{C} ?$

(a) What is the significance of the critical point in a phase diagram? (b) Why does the line that separates the gas and liquid phases end at the critical point?
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