Why does ethanol feel colder on our skin compared to water?

In summary, volatility refers to the tendency of a substance to change from its liquid state to a gas state at a given temperature. It is affected by factors such as temperature, pressure, and molecular weight and can be measured using techniques like vapor pressure measurements and gas chromatography. Understanding volatility and heat loss is important in fields such as chemistry and engineering, as it can help predict how substances will behave and inform the design of processes and systems involving volatile substances.
  • #1
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When we have ethanol on our skin it feels colder than when we have water on our skin. The explanation given was that more energy is required to turn one molecule of liquid ethanol to gaseous ethanol than for one molecule of liquid water. However, in that case won't more of the water evaporate too? So why would ethanol feel colder?
 
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  • #2
Ethanol evaporates faster.
 

What is volatility?

Volatility refers to the tendency of a substance to change from its liquid state to a gas state at a given temperature. It is a measure of how easily a substance can evaporate.

What factors affect volatility?

The volatility of a substance is affected by several factors, including temperature, pressure, and molecular weight.

How does volatility affect heat loss?

In general, substances with higher volatility tend to lose heat more quickly than substances with lower volatility. This is because substances with higher volatility have a greater tendency to evaporate, which requires energy and results in a decrease in temperature.

How can volatility be measured?

Volatility can be measured using a variety of techniques, such as vapor pressure measurements, boiling point measurements, and gas chromatography.

Why is it important to understand volatility and heat loss?

Understanding volatility and heat loss is important in various fields, such as chemistry, physics, and engineering. It can help predict how a substance will behave under different conditions and inform the design of processes and systems that involve volatile substances.

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