Which of the following alkanes has the highest boiling point?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following alkanes has the highest boiling point?
Methane
Ethane
Propane
Butane
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following alkanes has the highest boiling point?
Step 1: Understand what alkanes are. Alkanes are hydrocarbons that consist only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms, connected by single bonds.
Step 2: Know that boiling point is the temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a gas.
Step 3: Recognize that larger alkanes generally have higher boiling points because they have more atoms, which means more surface area for intermolecular forces.
Step 4: Compare the sizes of the alkanes given in the question. The larger the alkane, the higher its boiling point is likely to be.
Step 5: Identify butane as one of the alkanes. It has a larger molecular size compared to smaller alkanes like propane or methane.
Step 6: Conclude that butane has the highest boiling point among the alkanes listed due to its larger molecular size.