Methane, CH4, reacts with chlorine, Cl2, to produce a series of chlorinated hydrocarbons: methy chloride (CH3Cl), methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), chloroform (CHCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Which compound has the lowest vapor pressure at room temperature? Explain.

Question

Chemistry

Paris Pollard

29 November, 04:09

Methane, CH4, reacts with chlorine, Cl2, to produce a series of chlorinated hydrocarbons: methy chloride (CH3Cl), methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), chloroform (CHCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Which compound has the lowest vapor pressure at room temperature? Explain.

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Answers (1)

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Billy · Answer 1

CCl₄, because it is the heaviest compound.

Explanation:

When a liquid is in a closed container, evaporation occurs, in what the molecules with the highest kinetic energy can scape of the liquid. The vapor that was formed does pressure on the liquid that remains, and when both phases stay in equilibrium the pressure is called vapor pressure.

We can notice that the vapor pressure is a measure of the volatility of a liquid. Substances with higher vapor pressure are more volatile. The volatility, however, depends on the nature of the forces in the compound and on the molar mass of it.

For the substances given, they are all covalent compounds and have dipole-induced-dipole-induced bonds between the molecules (because they are nonpolar). So, the lowest vapor pressure is in the heaviest compound, which is the most substituted: CCl₄.