Dissecting Alcohol’s Boiling Point
Yikes, the burning point of alcohol, right? Well, let me tell you, it’s not that simple.
There are many kinds of alcohol, and each one has a different boiling point. For example, the alcohol that people drink is called ethanol, and it boils at around 78 degrees Celsius. That’s pretty hot, but not as hot as water, which boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Do you have some clarity about what temperature does alcohol boil at?
Why is that? It’s because ethanol and water are polar molecules, which means they have opposite charges on their ends. They just like to stick together with other polar molecules, and that makes them harder to separate. This simple mechanism is called hydrogen bonding, and it’s a powerful force. So, to answer the question is alcohol non polar, the answer is yes.
Ethanol Boiling Points
However, the boiling point of ethanol can change depending on other factors, too. For example, if you add salt or sugar to water, you will change the alcohol's boiling point.
So what temp does ethanol boil at? The boiling point of alcohol in Celsius is 78.37 °C.
Salt will make it boil at a higher temperature, while sugar will make it boil at a lower temperature. Alcohol boiling points can change. This is because salt and sugar change the number of water molecules in the solution, and that affects how easily they can escape as vapour. Alcohol boiling points are not that complex.
Alcohol Evaporation Point
The more vapour there is, the easier it is to boil. The less vapour there is, the harder it is to boil.
When the vapour pressure of a liquid is equal to the air pressure, the liquid boils. We hope that clarifies alcohol boiling points more.
The rate of evaporation depends on many things, such as the surface area of the liquid, the temperature of the liquid and the air, the humidity of the air, and the wind speed. The evaporation point of ethanol is not a fixed value, but it is generally lower than its boiling point because evaporation does not need the liquid to reach its vapour pressure.
The Burning Point of Alcohol
Another thing you should know about ethanol is that it can catch fire very easily — the burning point of alcohol.
The lowest temperature at which it can form a flammable vapour is called the flash point, and for ethanol, it’s only 13 degrees Celsius. That means that ethanol can burn even when it’s not boiling. But it doesn’t mean it will burn at any temperature above 13 degrees Celsius. It also depends on how much ethanol there is in the air, how much oxygen there is, and what kind of spark or flame there is. For ethanol to burn, it needs to have a concentration between 3.3% and 19% in the air, and it needs to have enough oxygen and heat to ignite the vapour.
Conclusion:
Alcohol's boiling point varies by type; ethanol, the kind in drinks, boils at about 78°C due to its polarity and hydrogen bonding with water. Adding salt or sugar changes the boiling point. Ethanol can ignite at a low flash point of 13°C, but combustion depends on concentration, oxygen, and heat. If you found this information helpful, imagine what an entire Chemistry course can do for you. Digest any complex topics, within minutes using Out-Class’ top-notch entry test and O Level lectures which guarantee results and secret hacks for O Level sucess.
