DECONSTRUCT OF QUESTION ‘HOW DOES DILUTION AFFECT THE BOILING POINT OF MIXTURES

POTENTIAL PRACTICAL 1- SALT (NaCl) and Water

AIM: To explore how the amount of salt (NaCl) impacts the temperature at which water (H 20) boils.
HYPOTHESIS: As the amount of salt added to the water increases, the temperature at which the water
boils will increase.
APPARATUS:
o Salt (NaCl)
o 250mL beaker
o Deionised H20
o 25mL measuring cylinder.
o Digital Thermometer
o Retort stand, boss head and clamp.
o Electric hot plate 150C

METHOD:
1. Fill a 250ml beaker with 100ml of deionised water.  This volume is practical for a high school laboratory setting and can
easily be applied to any calculations that utilise 1L of water as a standard.
2. Place beaker on hot plate.  A hot plate supplies a more consistent flow of heat as opposed to a Bunsen
burner.
3. Turn on the thermometer, and place into water.  A digital thermometer is used as opposed to an analogue
thermometer to improve accuracy of data collection.
4. Using a retort stand, boss head and clamp suspend the Thermometer tip 1 cm above the base of the beaker.
 To support the thermometer and to reduce the risk of broken glass.
5. Set the hot plate thermostat to 150oC.  The maximum temperature of hot plate to obtain results in timely
manner.
6. Monitor the beaker and record temperature at which water boils (this temperature will be taken when large
bubble at the surface of the water begin to appear)  Large bubbles indicate that water in liquid state is
transitioning to gaseous state (boiling).
7. Remove the beaker and allow the hot plate to cool.
8. Turn off the thermometer.
9. Turn off the burner and let it cool.
10. Repeat steps 1 to 9 by first preparing mixtures of:

 2.5g NaCl / 100mL water

 5g NaCl / 100mL water

 7.5g NaCl / 100mL water

 10g NaCl / 100mL water

Previous research suggests that 58g of dissolved salt per 1L of water will raise the temperature
at which water boils by 0.5 degrees Celsius (insert reference). Therefore 5.8g of salt per 100ml
of water should raise the temperature at which water boils by 0.5 degrees Celsius. However,
10g of NaCl per 100mL of water may possibly alter the taste of any food that is prepared.
Therefor this spread was chosen as it is expected to reveal a slight increase in the boiling point
of 100ml of water and also is a practical range that could potentially be applied to cooking.
Water (H20) and Ethanol

AIM: To determine the boiling point of ethanol and compare it with the boiling point of ethanol tainted
with water.
HYPOTHESIS: As the ethanol is diluted with more water, the boiling point of the ethanol solution (C) will
increase.
APPARATUS:
o Ethanol Absolute (Denatured)
o Distilled water
o 50mL beaker
o 25mL measuring cylinder.
o Digital Thermometer to 250C
o Retort stand, boss head and clamp. Electric hot plate

METHOD:
1. Place 25mL of ethanol in the 50mL beaker.  This volume is practical for a high school
setting and can easily be applied to any calculations that utilise 1L of water as a
standard.
2. Place beaker on hot plate.  This is done to heat up the solution so that boiling can
occur.
3. Turn on the thermometer.  This is done to measure the temperature at which the
solution boils.
4. Using a retort stand, boss head and clamp suspend the Thermometer tip 1 cm above the
base of the beaker.  This will allow the thermometer to be within the vapor phase
above the mixture, allowing for accurate boiling point measurement.
5. Discuss with your partner how you will determine when the ethanol is boiling.  This will
help to reduce random errors.
6. Set the hot plate thermostat to 150oC.  The maximum temperature of hot plate to
obtain results in timely manner.
7. Monitor the beaker and when the ethanol is boiling record temperature.  Large bubbles
indicate that water in liquid state is transitioning to gaseous state (boiling).
8. Remove the beaker and allow the hot plate to cool.
9. Turn off the thermometer.
10. Turn off the burner and let it cool.
11. Repeat steps 1 to 7 by preparing mixtures of:
 20mL ethanol / 5mL water
 15mL ethanol / 10mL water
 10mL ethanol / 15mL water
 5mL ethanol / 20mL water
 25mL Water

The required amounts allow for adequate margins to be able to see a significant temperature
differences when ethanol is added.
SAFTEY AND HAZARDS:
HAZARD PREVENTION
The Heat Of the hot plate The experiment involves the use of a hot plate set to 150°C,
which can cause burns if touched accidentally. To prevent this
from happening use heat resistant gloves more mitts when
handling the hot plate or beaker.
Chemical hazards Ethanol is a flammable liquid and mixing It with water can
produce vapours that are harmful if inhaled. To prevent any
impact from this work in a well-ventilated area or use a flame
hood to minimize exposure to ethanol vapours. Also wearing
appropriate personal protective equipment, such as googles,
and lab coats is necessary.
 VARIABLES
VARIABLE
Independent The independent variable of the experiment is the concentration of the ethanol
solution. This will be done by having 5 different test trials with different
concentrations of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% ethanol diluted with water
(H20). This is done to determine the boiling point of ethanol and to compare it to
the boiling point of ethanol tainted with water.

Dependent The dependent variable of the experiment is the temperature of the boiling point.
This will be measure inC using a digital thermometer, to observe and compare the
boiling point of pure ethanol and ethanol tainted with water (H20).

CONSTANT
CONSTANT
Type of Thermometer This was controlled by utilising the same digital thermometer throughout the
different groups. By utilising the same thermometer, it ensures calibration
consistency as different thermometers may have varying degrees of accuracy and
calibration. This overall helps to maintain the integrity of the experimental results.
Type of water (deionised) Impurities in the water can alter the boing point. By utilising the same type of
water, it helps to isolate the effect of ethanol concentration on the boiling point. If
this was not controlled, it would have the potential to impact the boiling point
ultimately producing inconsistent results.
Temperature of the hot The temperature setting of the hot plate is kept constant at 150°C for all trials. This
plate ensures uniform heating conditions across all experiments.

CONTROLS
This practical conducted trials for 100% ethanol and 100% water to provide controls. By comparing the
acquired results from the practical with the scientific boiling points, these being 78C and 100C
respectively, the validity of the practical was able to be measured.

JUSTIFICATION:
Out of practical 1 (NaCl and H20) and practical 2 (Ethanol and H20), practical 2 is the more viable option.
This is because in practical 1, NaCl and H20 they have the boiling points 108C and 100C respectively.
However, in practical 2, ethanol and H20 they have the boiling points 78C and 100C. As the range is
much higher in practical 2 it will make it much easier to observe the impact ethanol has on boiling point.
The boiling point elevation caused by adding salt to water is relatively small compared to the boiling
point elevation observed in solutions with significant changes in concentration, such as ethanol and
water. This means the effects of dilution on boiling point may be more easily observable and
reproducible in ethanol-water mixtures.
 Effect of Dilution on Boiling Point

INTRODUCTION
Determining the boiling point of certain liquids plays a crucial role in the understanding of physical
properties of substances, aiding in various applications ranging from industrial processes to scientific
research. Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is an organic compound that is an alcohol. It has volatile, flammable,
colourless characteristics, with a wine-like odour and pungent taste. Pure 100% ethanol has a boiling point
of 78.37°C, however it exhibits varying boiling points at different concentrations. This experiment aims to
investigate the boiling point of ethanol-water solutions with varying concentrations of ethanol. To do this the
temperature of the boiling point will be observed at different concentrations.
AIM
To determine the boiling point of ethanol and compare it with the boiling point of ethanol tainted with water.

PRACTICAL
HYPOTHESIS
As the ethanol is diluted with more water, the boiling point of the ethanol solution (C) will increase.
VARIABLES
VARIABLE
Independent The independent variable of the experiment is the concentration of the
ethanol solution. This will be done by having 5 different test trials with
different concentrations of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% ethanol
diluted with water (H20). This is done to determine the boiling point of
ethanol and to compare it to the boiling point of ethanol tainted with water.

Dependent The dependent variable of the experiment is the temperature of the boiling
point. This will be measure inC using a digital thermometer, to observe and
compare the boiling point of pure ethanol and ethanol tainted with water
(H20).

CONSTANT
CONSTANT
Type of Thermometer
Type of water (deionised)
Temperature of the hot
This was controlled by utilising the same digital thermometer throughout the
different groups. By utilising the same thermometer, it ensures calibration
consistency as different thermometers may have varying degrees of accuracy
and calibration. This overall helps to maintain the integrity of the
experimental results. If the same thermometer was not utilised throughout
the experiment the results would not be consistent and there would be
variation in the temperature.
Impurities in the water can alter the boing point. By utilising the same type
of water, it helps to isolate the effect of ethanol concentration on the boiling
point. If this was not controlled, it would have the potential to impact the
boiling point ultimately producing inconsistent results.
The temperature setting of the hot plate is kept constant at 150°C for all
 plate trials. This ensures uniform heating conditions across all experiments. If this
was not kept consistent some trials would heat up faster than others, making
it difficult to make comparisons.

CONTROLS
This practical conducted trials for 100% ethanol and 100% water to provide controls. By comparing the
acquired results from the practical with the scientific boiling points, these being 78C and 100C
respectively, the validity of the practical was able to be measured.
SAFTEY AND HAZARDS
HAZARD PREVENTION
The Heat Of the hot plate The experiment involves the use of a hot plate set to 150°C,
which can cause burns if touched accidentally. To prevent
this from happening use heat resistant gloves more mitts
when handling the hot plate or beaker.
Chemical hazards Ethanol is a flammable liquid and mixing It with water can
produce vapours that are harmful if inhaled. To prevent any
impact from this work in a well-ventilated area or use a
flame hood to minimize exposure to ethanol vapours. Also
wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, such as
googles, and lab coats is necessary.
Glassware hazards Beakers and thermometers are made of glass and can break,
leading to cuts or injuries. To prevent this from occurring
handle glassware with care and avoid rough handling.

METHOD
1. Place 25mL of ethanol in the 50mL beaker.
2. Place beaker on hot plate.
3. Turn on the thermometer.
4. Using a retort stand, boss head and clamp suspend the Thermometer tip 1 cm above the base of
the beaker.
5. Discuss with your partner how you will determine when the ethanol is boiling.
6. Set the hot plate thermostat to 150oC.
7. Monitor the beaker and when the ethanol is boiling record temperature.
8. Remove the beaker and allow the hot plate to cool.
9. Turn off the thermometer.
10. Turn off the burner and let it cool.
11. Repeat steps 1 to 7 by preparing mixtures of:
 20mL ethanol / 5mL water
 15mL ethanol / 10mL water
 10mL ethanol / 15mL water
 5mL ethanol / 20mL water
 25mL water
 Average temperature of boiling point of Ethanol  C
RESULTS

(Figure 1: Temperature of boiling point of ethanol)

(Figure 2: Average boiling points of ethanol depending on concentration %)

(C)
 (Figure 4: The average temperature (C) of boiling point of ethanol, showcasing line of best
fit)

EVALUATION OF DATA, PROCEDURE AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS

Figure 2 shows that as the concentration of ethanol increases, the temperature (C) of the boiling point
decrease. This is evident, as at 100% ethanol concentration the average temperature of the boiling point is
78.5C, and at 0% ethanol concentration the average temperature of the boiling point is 98.3C. In figure 4
is shows the line of best fit, which demonstrates that from 0% to 40% ethanol solution it decreases and
from 60% to 100% ethanol concentration it begins to plateau. Figure 2 also shows that as the solution
concentration decrease below 40% (40-0%), the boiling point temperature raises much more quickly than
between 100% and 40%. This is apparent as the average temperature difference between 100-40% is
4.9C, however between 40-0% ethanol concentration the temperature difference is 14.9C. This further
suggests and supports that as the amount of ethanol decreases the rate as which temperature rises
increases rapidly.

Figure 1 shows the average range for each concentration of ethanol. Figure 3 shows the scatter amongst
the trials. It is evident that scatter is highest at 80%, 60% and 40% concentration as the range for the trials
is 14.9C (at 80% ethanol), 16.9C (at 60% ethanol), 17.6C (at 40% ethanol), suggesting precision at these
concentrations is low. However, the scatter is the lowest for 100% ethanol concentration as the range is
only 1.8, suggesting that these results are far more precise and reliable. The scatter amongst the data
suggests the presence of 1 or more random errors. A possible random error that may have occurred might
have been the volume of ethanol that was added to the solution was slightly higher of lower than the
desired amount (25, 20, 15, 10, or 5). This may have occurred due to parallax error. For example, if this
occurred with the 80% ethanol concentration test and there was a slightly higher volume then 20ml of
ethanol it would cause a slightly lower temperature of the boiling point. To minimise parallax error, ensure
that volume is being read at eye level. Another possible random error that could have occurred is some of
the ethanol may have evaporated during the heating process, as the experiment is conducted in an open
area. If this occurred in the experiment it could affect the concertation of the solution, therefor impacting
whether the boiling point was higher or lower. To minimise potential impact of evaporation, cover the
beaker during heating.
The true value for the boiling point of ethanol is 78.37C, and the true value for the boiling point of water
is 100C. Shown in figure 1 at 100% ethanol concentration the average temperature of the Boiling point is
78.5C. Since this is only a 0.13C difference from the true value, it suggests that this data is very accurate,
therefor it is valid. Similarly shown in figure 1 at 0% ethanol concentration (100% water) the average
temperature of the boiling point is 98.3C. Since this is a 1.7C difference from the true value, it also
suggests that data is also accurate and valid. If these values were not close to the true value(s) it would
insinuate the presence of 1 or more systemic errors. A possible systemic error that could have occurred is a
incorrectly calibrated thermometer. If this occurred, it could result in either overestimating or
underestimating the actual temperature of the boiling point, formulating unreliable results. This could then
result in the inability to compare the boiling point of ethanol to when it is tainted with water, impacting
the aim of the overall practical. To minimise the impact of this systematic error is ensuring that the
thermometer is correctly calibrating before the commencing the practical. Another possible systematic
error is the variation of the determination of the boiling point. Since this practical is being done by multiple
groups, each could determine when the water is boiling differently. For example, if the boiling point for
some was determined when small bubbles appeared vs the appearance of large bubbles. If this occurred, it
could then produce inconsistent results by either overestimating or underestimating the temperature at
which boiling occurred. Overall, this could affect the accuracy of the practical. To minimise the impact of
this error, prior to commencing the practical address the determination of ‘boiling’ amongst the groups.
As hypothesised, when the ethanol is diluted with more water, the boiling point of the ethanol solution
(C) will increase. Based on the results this hypothesis was supported. In figure 2 it is clear that as the
ethanol concentration in the solution decreases the graph has an upward trend, representing the increase
in temperature (C). In figure 1 the 100% concentration of ethanol’s average boiling point Is 78.5C and the
20% concentration of ethanol’s average boiling point is 89.7C. This 11.2C temperature change further
supports the hypothesis.

As the results were only collected based on 7 trials, the sample size was relatively low. As mentioned above
for the concentration 100% ethanol the range is only 1.8 and the scatter is low, suggesting that these
results are far more reliable. However, to increase the reliability of the experiment increasing the sample
size would produce more reliable average values.

Factors that were uncontrolled were the factors that could not be exactly controlled. These were the
random errors present within the experiment such as thermometer reading incorrect temperature, higher
volume of ethanol or water, or any errors that affected one trial within the experiment.
Limitations present within the experiment was the lack of time to test all mixtures and gain data, meaning
that for pure water group 1 was unable to collect results. The equipment used was very basic and not as
accurate and undertaking practical in a school science laboratory with uncontrolled environments and
limited sample sizes meant results were not as accurate, precise, and validated.

CONCLUSION
These results obtained in the experiment supported my hypothesis, As the ethanol is diluted with more
water, the boiling point of the ethanol solution (C) will increase. The aim of the experiment, to determine
the boiling point of ethanol and compare it with the boiling point of ethanol tainted with water was
achieved. The experiment presented random and systematic errors that impacts the precision and the
accuracy.