Understanding Boiling Point Elevation: Real Gas Law and Its Impact on Molecules

In summary, the ideal gas law is a fundamental relationship between pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles. However, the real gas law takes into account additional properties such as molecular size and intermolecular forces. This explains why the boiling point elevation is not solely dependent on the number of solute particles, but also on the size and interactions of the molecules. The Flory Huggins theory is a useful tool for understanding these effects, particularly for macromolecules.
  • #1
Biker
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So was thinking a little bit about the ideal gas law.
##P V = n R T##
And I read an article about the real gas law where they just edited few properties.
##(P + \frac{n^2 a}{v^2}) (V - nb) = n R T ##
Where a and b are constant determined experimentally.

So going back to our original point, Why doesn't the boiling point elevation have something related to the volume of the molecules or atoms?

And we know that the boiling point increases because of how the molecules prevent some of the liquid atoms to change into vapor state which reduces the vapor pressure in result increasing the boiling point.

So if we believe that this is what actually happen then bigger molecules/atoms will prevent more of the liquid atoms to change into vapor state which increases the boiling point.

What is happening here?

P.s I know that colligative properties only depend on how many solute particles.
 
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  • #3
DrDu said:
These effects exist but the boiling point increase is usually reported for infinite dilution where solutions behave ideally.
But for macromolecules, these effects become very important, cf. the Flory Huggins theory:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flory–Huggins_solution_theory
Oh that is actually great. Didn't know that there is a theory already there. Thank you!
 
  • #4
Not completely related, but ...
 

1. What is boiling point elevation?

Boiling point elevation is the phenomenon where the boiling point of a liquid increases when another substance, such as a solute, is added to it.

2. How does the real gas law impact boiling point elevation?

The real gas law, also known as the van der Waals equation, takes into account the non-ideal behavior of gases and can better predict the boiling point elevation of a solution compared to the ideal gas law.

3. What molecules are affected by boiling point elevation?

All molecules, both polar and non-polar, can be affected by boiling point elevation when a solute is added to a solution. However, the degree of elevation may vary depending on the nature of the solute and the solvent.

4. How does boiling point elevation impact industrial processes?

Boiling point elevation is utilized in various industrial processes, such as distillation, where it allows for the separation of different components based on their boiling points. It is also used in the production of certain chemicals and in the food industry.

5. Are there any other factors that can affect boiling point elevation?

Aside from the presence of a solute, external factors such as pressure and altitude can also impact boiling point elevation. Higher pressures and lower altitudes can increase the boiling point elevation, while lower pressures and higher altitudes can decrease it.

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