Why must not the condensed water drip into flask in finding molecular weight of volatile liquids?
I have no idea how your experiment was conducted.
The condensed water must not drip into the flask when finding the molecular weight of volatile liquids because it could introduce water molecules into the sample, thereby altering the composition and distorting the results. This can lead to inaccurate measurements of the vapor pressure and, consequently, incorrect calculations of the molecular weight. To ensure accurate results, it is essential to prevent any contamination or dilution of the sample during the experiment.
When determining the molecular weight of a volatile liquid, it is important that the condensed water does not drip into the flask because it will introduce a source of contamination. This can affect the accuracy of the experiment and lead to incorrect results.
To understand why this happens, let's look at the process of finding the molecular weight of a volatile liquid using the Dumas method. In this method, a known mass of the volatile liquid is vaporized in a flask, and the resulting vapor is collected and measured.
If the condensed water from the condenser were to enter the flask, it would mix with the vapor of the volatile liquid. This would alter the composition and concentration of the vapor, which could impact its physical properties such as temperature, pressure, or density. As a result, the collected data would be distorted.
To prevent this, it is crucial to carefully monitor and control the condensing apparatus, ensuring that any condensation is collected separately from the volatile liquid. This can be achieved by using appropriate glassware and setting up the experimental apparatus correctly.
In conclusion, avoiding the dripping of condensed water into the flask is essential during the determination of the molecular weight of volatile liquids because it helps maintain the purity and accuracy of the collected vapor, leading to more reliable results.