Activitity No12 Melting Point and Boiling Point Determination
Activitity No12 Melting Point and Boiling Point Determination
Activitity No12 Melting Point and Boiling Point Determination
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Activity No. 12
Boiling Point and Melting Point Determination
I. Objectives
1. To be familiar with the principles of melting point and boiling point determinations.
2. To master the method of determination of melting point and boiling point using capillary
tube.
3. To determine the melting point and boiling point of organic solids and liquids.
II. Introduction
Boiling point is formally defined as the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid
becomes equal to the pressure at the surface of the liquid. The boiling point of a liquid can
change if the pressure at the liquid's surface changes. Since pure substances have a distinct
boiling point, boiling points are sometimes used to determine the purity of substances.
A solid is said to melt sharply if the melting point range is 0.5 - 1.0 oC (narrow melting point
range). A pure solid will generally melt sharply because the forces of attraction between its
particles are the same. However, the presence of a foreign particle in a crystal lattice interrupts
its uniform structure and the forces of attraction are weakened. An impure solid melts at a
lower temperature and over a wider range. Thus, a solid's melting point is useful not only as an
aid in identification but also as an indication of purity.
IV. Procedure
Put one end of a prepared capillary tube to the edge of a small hot flame and rotate the
capillary tube slowly so that the end is sealed. To ensure the capillary tube sealed compactly
and smoothly, you should operate it carefully and not make it bended or into a small ball.
Place a small sample of the solid pulverized finely on a clean watch glass, then collect the solid
into a small mound and push the open end of the capillary tube down into the sample. The
solid may be forced down by dropping the tube (sealed end downward) through a long length
of ordinary glass tubing onto the desktop. Further increments of the sample are introduced in
the same way until the material forms a compact column 3-5 mm high at the bottom of the
tube after repeated dropping. It is essential that the material be packed firmly and densely into
the end of the tube.
Follow the method above; fill three tubes with benzoic acid, urea, and mixtures of unknown
sample.
3. Arranging assembly.
Introduce oil bath liquid into a 50-mL beaker and keep the bath level at the position of the two-
third of the beaker. The capillary tube containing the sample is attached to a thermometer by
means of a small rubber band. The rubber band must be kept well above the level of the hot
oil, or the oil could melt the rubber and break the band. For accurate reading, the sample
compound in the capillary tube is kept close to and at the level of the thermometer bulb, which
is fully submerged and centered in the oil bath, as shown in Figures 1-2.
1. Make a test tube assembly by using the following directions and illustration.
Figure 2. Test Tube Assembly for Boiling Point Determination.
Dispose of the used capillary tubes by putting them in your trash can. If any isopropyl alcohol is
left in your test tube, you may pour it down the drain with water.
Activity No. 12
Boiling Point and Melting Point Determination
Course:______________________ Professor:__________________
(Expt’l) (Theoretical)
Isopropyl Alcohol
Acetone
Acetic Acid
V. Questions.
2. Which of the three liquids has the largest boiling point. Explain
3. Which of the two solids ( urea or benzoic acid) has a larger melting point. Explain.
8. Do you expect the benzoic acid-urea mixture to have a higher melting point than pure
benzoic acid or pure urea. Explain your answer.