The boiling point of alcohol is 78.3 degrees Celcius at 760 mm atm pressure. Would the boiling point be higher or lower than 78.3 degree Celcius at hugher altirudes? Why?
The pressure is less, the b.p. is defined as that temperature at which the vapor pressure of the substance is the same as atmospheric pressure; therefore, the boiling point is less because the pressure is less. If you had wanted to figure this out yourself you could have put some numbers into the Clausius-Clapeyron equation and calculate the new b.p. at any pressure you chose.
Well, at higher altitudes, the boiling point of alcohol would actually be slightly lower than 78.3 degrees Celsius. Why? Because when you increase your altitude, the atmospheric pressure decreases. And as we all know, lower atmospheric pressure means lower boiling point. So, in short, alcohol would have a "chill-out" moment and boil at a lower temperature when you're up in the mountains or somewhere high. It's like alcohol taking a vacation and letting off some steam!
At higher altitudes, the boiling point of alcohol would be lower than 78.3 degrees Celsius. This is because atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases.
The boiling point of a substance is directly related to the vapor pressure exerted by the substance at a given temperature. When the vapor pressure equals the atmospheric pressure, the substance boils.
At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is typically around 760 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). This is the pressure used to determine boiling points in most scientific and industrial contexts. However, as you go to higher altitudes, the atmospheric pressure decreases. At lower atmospheric pressure, liquids require less energy to overcome the pressure and reach their boiling point.
Therefore, at higher altitudes where the atmospheric pressure is lower than at sea level, the boiling point of alcohol (or any other liquid) will be lower than 78.3 degrees Celsius.
To determine whether the boiling point of alcohol would be higher or lower at higher altitudes, we need to understand the relationship between atmospheric pressure and boiling point.
At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is around 760 mmHg, which is also known as standard atmospheric pressure. At this pressure, alcohol boils at 78.3 degrees Celsius. However, as you go to higher altitudes, the atmospheric pressure decreases.
The boiling point of a liquid is directly proportional to the atmospheric pressure. In simpler terms, as the pressure decreases, the boiling point also decreases. This is because the boiling point is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid becomes equal to the atmospheric pressure.
At higher altitudes where the atmospheric pressure is lower than 760 mmHg, alcohol would boil at a lower temperature than 78.3 degrees Celsius. The reason is that the lower atmospheric pressure reduces the resistance for alcohol molecules to escape from the liquid phase and enter the vapor phase. Thus, less heat is required to reach this point, resulting in a lower boiling point.
Therefore, the boiling point of alcohol would be lower than 78.3 degrees Celsius at higher altitudes due to the decrease in atmospheric pressure.