As the number of carbons increases, the boiling point of alkanes decrease
True or False
Generally increasing the number carbons increases the boiling point.
True.
Explanation:
The boiling point of alkanes decreases as the number of carbons increases. This is because as the number of carbons increases in a molecule, the Van der Waals forces (intermolecular forces) also increase. These forces are responsible for holding the individual molecules together in the liquid phase. With more carbons, there is more surface area available for these forces to act upon, resulting in stronger intermolecular forces. As a result, more energy is required to overcome these forces and convert the substance from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase, leading to a higher boiling point. Conversely, as the number of carbons decreases, there is less surface area available for these forces to act upon, resulting in weaker intermolecular forces and a lower boiling point.