YEAR 12 CHEMISTRY

EXTENDED EXPERIMENTAL
INVESTIGATION
HOW MANY MOLECULES EVAPORATE PER SECOND
FROM DIFFERENT HYDROCARBONS?
We are required to carry out research related to a problem of a scientific
Geoff Shaw
nature that we wish to solve. We then have to attempt to solve the problem
using scientific method by generating primary data through experimentation.
By completing experimentation we are required to record and display the data
in graphical form, analyses your results and any errors. Then
Problem
How many molecules evaporate from different hydrocarbons per second?

Abstract
This investigation will answer the question of how many molecules evaporate per
second form different hydrocarbons.

Background Research

Hypothesis
I hypothesis that the substance with the weakest inter molecular bonds will
evaporate faster. This is because the bonds that hold the substances together as
weaker therefore will not with hold higher temperatures.

Aim
With this investigation I aim to have an answer to the problem, and discover the
substances that evaporate faster. This experiment will be conducted by having a
variety of different hydrocarbons open to the same temperature evaporating.
These evaporation times will shorten or lengthen due to the inter-molecular
bonds.

Variables
Variables in this experiment that could drastically alter are as follows.

Controlled Variables
To control the temperature I preformed this
Temperature experiment in an environment that’s temperature
can be controlled I.e. Class room with air conditioner
The variable of weight of the substances was
Weights of substances controlled by using the same amount of each
substance in the experiment.

The Humidity variable was controlled the same was

Humidity the temperature was. This was controlled by the air
 conditioner keeping the humidity at a stable rate.
The open surface area was controlled by having all
Open surface area the substances in the exact same shaped container.
This container was a Petri dish.

Manipulated Variables
The manipulated variable in this experiment is the
Substances substances that the experiment Is based around.
These substances are manipulated to change so I
can record the evaporation weights.

Respondent Variables
The respondent variable in this experiment would be
Weight of substances the weight of the substances. This is the respondent
variable due to when the substances evaporate.

Equipment
Substances Apparatus
5mL Mentholated Spirit Petri dish

5mL Hexane
Electronic Balance
5mL Turpentine
Thermometer
5mL Kerosene

5mL Petrol Dropper Pipette

5mL Alcohol [42% alcohol]
Stop Watch

10mL Measuring Cylinder

Method
• Collect all apparatus / substances

• Weigh Petri dish, reset weight to 0.00

 • Pour 5mL of substances into Petri dish

• Record weight of substances every 2min for 20min

• Repeat for all substances

• Note: for alcohol first distil the sambuca1 to get pure alcohol

To distil the Sambuca to get pure alcohol I used the distillation equipment. To

make sure I used pure alcohol I took a small sample and burnt it, to tell if it was

pure alcohol it should all burn off, which it did. The distillation equipment works

by boiling the alcohol which has a lower boiling point than water. By having a

smaller boiling point means it will evaporate out of the liquid and then go down a

tube which is surrounded by cool water. The cool water creates the alcohol

vapour to cool a turn to liquid.

Results

Discussion
From the results (*Shown above), you are able to see that Hexane is the

substance that evaporates faster than all the others. Followed by Petrol,

Methylated spirits, Kerosene, Alcohol and Turpentine. The results that I have

1 Sambuca is an alcoholic sprit; this sprit contains 42% Alcohol.

collected have proven my hypothesis correct as I hypothesised that the

substances with the weaker inter molecular forces will evaporate faster. This can

be proven as Hexane has very weak inter molecular forces. This experiment has

proved that the background research I have accumulated that said the

intermolecular forces with different substances. When a substance has weak

inter molecular forces it means that the substances boils at low temperature,

and this is why it evaporated the fastest in standard laboratory conditions (SLC).

The SLC conditions consist of the room being at 25oC, and the atmospheric

pressure of one atmosphere and the heat absorbed and released is in kilojoules

(kJ). With these conditions being in place means that all the experiments had

received the same conditions of experimental work. In this experiment the

variables were concerning the humidity, temperature, equipment and the

substances weight. These were kept to a minimum as the temperature was kept

to the SLC; the humidity was the same all the time as this experiment was

performed in the fume cupboard in an air conditioned environment. Equipment

error was kept to a minimum as when performing this experiment I used the

same type of equipment, which was clean dry, with no dust or other impurities. I

was able to keep the substances weight errors to an absolute minimum by using

the same amount of substance in each trial. By doing these adjustments I was

able to keep all the variables as much to the minimum as I could.

When I was calculating the amount of moles that evaporated per minute I was

able to use an excel spread sheet which used my results and converted then in

an equation.

Average mass evaporatedMoler Mass ×6 × 6 ×1023660 .

Each of the substances would have to be endothermic as they need to absorb

heat to evaporate into the air.

Some errors in my experimental work could include, that the timing of the

evaporation times were off, therefore the results would be altered from the

correct results. This could be shown as the substance would start evaporating as

I opened the bottle, and as I move it to the Petri dish the substance would be

evaporating already. This error would alter my experiment, but the change in

evaporation times would not be drastically altered so this error can be accepted.

Another could be that the scales only measure to two decimal places. Which for

a better result for the mass of the substances, the mass should be measured to

at least four decimal places. If the experiment was to be measured in four

decimal places the results would become a far better result than the results that

have already been obtained.

Mathematical Calculations
Mathematical Calculations
*Let molecules evaporates be ‘X’

Hexane

X =2.6912.01 ×6×6.03 × 102360

X=3.74× 1020

Alcohol

X =4.9512.01 ×6×6.03 × 102360

X=1.79× 1020

Methylated Spirits

X =4.3912.01 ×6×6.03 × 102360

X=1.59 × 1020

Petrol
X =3.6212.01 ×6×6.03 × 102360

X=5.02 × 1020

Turpentine

X =4.9312.01 ×6×6.03 × 102360

X=6.07 × 1019

Kerosene

X =4.8212.01 ×6×6.03 × 102360

X=6.52 × 1019

Written Calculations
Once the average of the evaporation mass were calculated I then divided the

average by its molar mass that was multiplied by six (6), then with that answer I

multiplied the answer by one mole (6 x 1023), and then divided the final answer

by sixty (60) to get how many molecules evaporated per second. From this

calculation I can calculate the amount of molecules that have been evaporated

per second. Dividing by sixty is because the results were in minutes already.

Conclusion
So in conclusion, due to the experiments that have been undertaken, people are

eligible to say that hexane is the substance that has the lowest molecular bonds.
So by hexane having the lowest molecular bonds it is then the substance that

evaporates the fastest. If this experiment was to be redone there would be a few

changes that should be considered before being redone. Firstly it should be

considered to having a wider range of chemicals, for example, as Hexane,

Methylated spirits, Alcohol, Petrol, Turpentine and Kerosene, have used already

been used, Heptane, Pentane, Butyl Alcohol or Propyl Alcohol, could be added to

expand the chemical scope. With the addition of these chemicals it would have

broaden the chemical substance scope. Secondly it should be considered to

complete the experiment under different temperatures, and then compare the

difference the heat has contributed to the evaporation times. And thirdly used

more hydrocarbons with more bonds, these bonds can be both stronger and

have a longer carbon chain. This experiment could have also been done with

isomers an then what effect rearranging the carbon chain has altered the

evaporation times.

Possible further investigations

There are many further investigations that could stem off this investigation.

These investigations could include. How much difference do extra bonds make to

the amount of heat produced by hydrocarbons? How different is the amount of

energy produced by non-renewable fuels compared to renewable fuels? And

finding the specific heat capacity of different hydrocarbons?

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements
Ben C. Fiona M. Peter H. Mr Shialhov

Joash L.

References
Mark, A. Mary, H. “Queensland Chemistry: Context to Concept”

John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2008