Suppose you start with a liquid mixture of 60% nitrogen and 40% oxygen.
Describe what happens as the temperature of this mixture increases. Be sure to
give the temperatures and compositions at which boiling begins and ends.
To describe what happens as the temperature of the liquid mixture increases, we need to understand the concept of boiling points and the behavior of each component in the mixture.
Boiling is the process in which a liquid changes into a gas by the formation of bubbles within the liquid. Each component in a mixture has its own boiling point, which is the temperature at which it changes from a liquid into a gas. Nitrogen and oxygen have different boiling points, so their behavior will differ as the temperature increases.
For the given liquid mixture of 60% nitrogen and 40% oxygen, let's analyze the behavior of each component as the temperature increases:
1. Nitrogen (N2) has a boiling point of -195.79 degrees Celsius (-320.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Oxygen (O2) has a boiling point of -182.96 degrees Celsius (-297.33 degrees Fahrenheit).
The composition of the liquid mixture does not change with temperature, so it will remain at 60% nitrogen and 40% oxygen throughout the process.
Now, let's examine what happens at different temperature ranges:
1. Below -195.79 degrees Celsius (-320.4 degrees Fahrenheit): At temperatures lower than the boiling point of nitrogen, the liquid mixture will remain completely in a liquid state. Both nitrogen and oxygen will remain as liquids.
2. Between -195.79 degrees Celsius (-320.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and -182.96 degrees Celsius (-297.33 degrees Fahrenheit): As the temperature rises, the nitrogen component in the mixture will start to boil and transition into a gas. However, the oxygen component will remain in a liquid state.
3. Above -182.96 degrees Celsius (-297.33 degrees Fahrenheit): Once the temperature reaches the boiling point of oxygen, both nitrogen and oxygen will be in a gaseous state. The boiling process will be completed, and the liquid mixture will be converted into a gas mixture.
To summarize:
- Boiling of the liquid mixture begins when the temperature reaches -195.79 degrees Celsius (-320.4 degrees Fahrenheit), at which point only nitrogen undergoes phase change.
- Boiling ends when the temperature reaches -182.96 degrees Celsius (-297.33 degrees Fahrenheit), when both nitrogen and oxygen have fully vaporized.
Please note that this description assumes ideal behavior for nitrogen and oxygen and neglects other potential factors, such as pressure and any possible chemical reactions between the components.