What is the effect of increasing the number of carbon atoms in aldehydes on their boiling points?

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Q: What is the effect of increasing the number of carbon atoms in aldehydes on their boiling points?

Solution: The boiling points of aldehydes increase with the number of carbon atoms due to increased van der Waals forces.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what aldehydes are. Aldehydes are organic compounds that contain a carbonyl group (C=O) at the end of a carbon chain.
Step 2: Know that boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid turns into a gas.
Step 3: Recognize that the number of carbon atoms in an aldehyde affects its size and mass.
Step 4: Learn about van der Waals forces. These are weak attractions between molecules that increase with larger molecules.
Step 5: Realize that as the number of carbon atoms increases, the size of the aldehyde increases, leading to stronger van der Waals forces.
Step 6: Conclude that stronger van der Waals forces require more energy to overcome, which raises the boiling point.