STUDY OF RATE OF EVAPORATION OF

DIFFERENT LIQUIDS

A Project Report


Submitted by


I n partial fulfillment of the
CBSE GRADE XI
IN
Chemistry
AT



AECS MAGNOLIA MAARUTI PUBLIC SCHOOL
Arekere, Off Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore- 560076

2013-2014

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Rohin Gopalakrishnan of Grade XI, AECS Magnolia
Maaruti Public School, Bangalore with the Register Number A33 has
satisfactorily completed the project in Chemistry on The study of rate of
evaporation of different liquids in partial fulfillment of the requirements as
prescribed by CBSE in the year 2013-14.





Signature of the
Teacher in Charge
Signature of the
Candidate
Signature of the
Principal
Signature of the
External Examiner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I warmly acknowledge the continuous encouragement and timely
suggestions offered by our dear Principal Dr.Seema Goel. I extend my hearty
thanks for giving me the opportunity to make use of the facilities available in
the campus to carry out the project successfully.

I am highly indebted to Mrs. Kunhilaxmi K. and Mrs. Neelam A. for the
constant supervision, providing necessary information and supporting in
completion of the project. I would like to express my gratitude towards
them for their kind co-operation and encouragement.

Finally, I extend my gratefulness to one and all who are directly or indirectly
involved in the successful completion of this project work.



Signature of the candidate



INDEX


TITLE PAGE NUMBER
Introduction
1
Objective, Scope and Application
2
Theory
3 4
Experiment 1
5 - 6
Experiment 1
7 - 8
Experiment 1
9 - 10
Experiment 1
11 - 12
Conclusion and Result
13
Bibliography
14

1

Introduction
This project is about studying and observing the rate of evaporation is the
process whereby atoms or molecules in a liquid state (or solid state if the
substance sublimes) gain sufficient energy to enter the gaseous state.
Evaporation is the process whereby atoms or molecules in a liquid state (or
solid state if the substance sublimes) gain sufficient energy to enter the gaseous
state.
The thermal motion of a molecule must be
sufficient to overcome the surface tension of
the liquid in order for it to evaporate, that is,
its kinetic energy must exceed the work
function of cohesion at the surface.
Evaporation therefore proceeds more quickly
at higher temperature and in liquids with
lower surface tension. Since only a small
proportion of the molecules are located near
the surface and are moving in the proper
direction to escape at any given instant, the
rate of evaporation is limited. Also, as the
faster-moving molecules escape, the
remaining molecules have lower average
kinetic energy, and the temperature of the liquid thus decreases. If the
evaporation takes place in a closed vessel, the escaping molecules accumulate
as a vapor above the liquid. Many of the molecules return to the liquid, with
returning molecules becoming more frequent as the density and pressure of the
vapor increases. When the process of escape and return reaches equilibrium, the
vapor is said to be "saturated," and no further change in either vapor pressure
and density or liquid temperature will occur.


2

Objective of project
In this project, we shall investigate various factors such as
nature of liquid, surface of liquid, temperature and effect of
air currents and find their correlation with the rate of
evaporation of different liquids by four simple experiments
using various liquids.

Scope and Limitations
Through these experiments we can do a broad study of solvents. An idea of
characteristics and physical properties can be assumed.
Through these experiments, one can improve existent systems that use
evaporation, for example, drying of clothes in houses.
We can also understand the science behind matkas, which applies a good deal
of scientific knowledge.
The main limitation lies in the fact that all environmental factors cannot be
manually controlled, and I must have sufficient room for error.
I hope to increase my knowledge and broaden the scope of the topic as much as
possible, with the course of the experiments I perform.

Applications


When clothes are hung on a laundry line, even
though the ambient temperature is below the
boiling point of water, water evaporates. This is
accelerated by factors such as low humidity, heat
(from the sun), and wind. In a clothes dryer, hot
air is blown through the clothes, allowing water to
evaporate very rapidly. A hair dryer too works on
the same principle.




3

Theory
Evaporation is the process whereby atoms or molecules in a liquid state (or solid
state if the substance sublimes) gain sufficient energy to enter the gaseous
state.
The thermal motion of a molecule must be sufficient to overcome the surface
tension of the liquid in order for it to evaporate, that is, its kinetic energy must
exceed the work function of cohesion at the surface. Evaporation therefore
proceeds more quickly at higher temperature and in liquids with lower surface
tension. Since only a small proportion of the molecules are located near the
surface and are moving in the proper direction to escape at any given instant,
the rate of evaporation is limited. Also, as the faster-moving molecules escape,
the remaining molecules have lower average kinetic energy, and the
temperature of the liquid thus decreases.
If the evaporation takes place in a closed vessel, the escaping molecules
accumulate as a vapor above the liquid. Many of the molecules return to the
liquid, with returning molecules becoming more frequent as the density and
pressure of the vapor increases. When the process of escape and return reaches
equilibrium, the vapor is said to be saturated, and no further change in either
vapor pressure and density or liquid temperature will occur.
Factors influencing rate of evaporation
1. Concentration of the substance evaporating in the air - if the air
already has a high concentration of the substance evaporating, then the
given substance will evaporate more slowly
2. Concentration of other substances in the air - if the air is already
saturated with other substances, it can have a lower capacity forth
substance evaporating.
3. Temperature of the substance - if the substance is hotter, then
evaporation will be faster
4. Flow rate of air - this is in part related to the concentration points
above. If fresh air is moving over the substance all the time, then the
concentration of the substance in the air is less likely to go up with time,

4

thus encouraging faster evaporation. In addition, molecules in motion
have more energy than those at rest, and so the stronger the flow of air,
the greater the evaporating power of the air molecules.

5. Inter-molecular forces - the stronger the forces keeping the molecules
together in the liquid or solid state the more energy that must be input in
order to evaporate them.

6. Surface area and temperature - the rate of evaporation of liquids
varies directly with temperature. With the increase in the temperature,
fraction of molecules having sufficient kinetic energy to escape out from
the surface also increases. Thus with the increase in temperature rate of
evaporation also increases. Molecules that escape the surface of the
liquids constitute the evaporation. Therefore larger surface area
contributes accelerating evaporation.
7. Nature of Liquids - the magnitude of inter-molecular forces of attraction
in liquid determines the speed of evaporation. Weaker the inter-molecular
forces of attraction larger are the extent of evaporation. In diethyl ether
rate of evaporation is greater than that of ethyl alcohol.
8. Composition of Environment - the rate of evaporation of liquids
depends upon the flow of air currents above the surface of the liquid. Air
current flowing over the surface of the liquid took away the molecules of
the substance in vapor state thereby preventing condensation.
9. Density - the higher the density, the slower a liquid evaporates. In the
US, the National Weather Service measures the actual rate of evaporation
from a standardized "pan" open water surface outdoors, at various
locations nationwide. Others do likewise around the world. The US data is
collected and compiled into an annual evaporation map. The
measurements range from under 30 to overthe120 inches (3,000 mm) per
year
10. Pressure - in an area of less pressure, evaporation happens faster
because there is less exertion on the surface keeping the molecules from
launching themselves.


5

EXPERIMENT 1
To compare the rates of evaporation of water, acetone and diethyl
ether.


Three weighing bottles; 10 ml pipettes, stop watch, weighing balance.


1. Clean and dry three weighing bottles. Identify them as A, B and C.

2. Pipette out 10ml of water to bottle A with stopper.

3. Pipette out 10 ml of acetone and diethyl ether in such of bottles B and C
respectively.

4. Weigh each of the bottles and record their weights.

5. Remove the stoppers from all the three bottles and start the stop watch.

6. Let the bottles remain exposed for 30
minutes. Now cover each of the bottle
and weigh them again.



6



Liquid
Taken
Initial
Volume(V)
Time taken to
Evaporate (T)
Rate
(V/T)
Chloroform 10
1750
0.0057
Diethyl
Ether
10
555
0.0181
Petroleum
Ether
10
1025
0.009
Methanol 10
850
0.0011

7

EXPERIMENT - 2
To study the effect of surface area on the rate of evaporation of diethyl ether.


Three petridishes of diameters 2.5 cm, 5 cm and 10 cm; with covers, 10 ml
pipette and stop watch.


1. Clean and dry the petridishes and mark them as A, B and C.

2. Pipette out 10ml of diethyl ether in each of the petridishes A, B and C
and cover them immediately.

3. Uncover all the three petridishes simultaneously and start the stop
watch.

4. Note the time when diethyl ether evaporates completely from each
petridish.



8



Petridish
mark (ml)
Diameter of
petridish (cm)
Time taken for complete
evaporation (s)
3 2.5 135
3 5.0 220
3 7.5
245

9

EXPERIMENT - 3
To study the effect temperature on rate of evaporation of acetone.

Two petridishes of 5 cm diameter each, stop watch, 10 ml pipette,
thermometer, thermostat.
1. Wash, clean and dry the petridishes and mark them as A and B.

2. Pipette out 10ml of acetone to each of the petridishes A and B and
cover them.

3. Maintain the temperature of thermostat at about 20 C higher than
room temperature.

4. Remove cover of petridish A and allow the liquid in it to evaporate at
room temperature.

5. Now uncover petridish B and immediately place it in thermostat set at
20 C higher than room temperature.

6. Start the stop watch and note the time taken for complete
evaporation of acetone in the two petridishes.

10





















Petridish
mark (ml)
Temperature
(c)
Time taken for
complete
evaporation
10
Increasing to
50 C
1550 sec
10
Room
Temperature
1550 sec

11

EXPERIMENT - 4
To study the effect of air current on rate of evaporation.


Two petridishes and acetone.


1. Pour 10 ml of acetone in each of the two petridishes of the same size.

2. Keep one dish in a place where there is no fan and the other under a
fan. Start the stop watch and note and note the time taken for
complete evaporation of acetone in both the dishes.




12







Without Fan
With Fan

Petridish mark Conditions
Time taken for
complete
evaporation (s)
A With Fan 545
B Without Fan 1928

13

CONCLUSION AND RESULTS

The rates of evaporation of the given liquids -
o Diethyl Ether > Methanol > Petroleum Ether > Chloroform
The liquids having weaker intermolecular forces has greater rate of
evaporation

Maximum evaporation occurs in petridish with larger diameter
followed by the smaller and the smallest petridish. It is therefore
concluded that rate of evaporation increases with increase in
surface area.

Evaporation of Petroleum Ether increases with increase in
temperature. The rate of evaporation increases with increase
temperature because there is an increase in kinetic energy of
molecules.
The liquid under the fan evaporates faster. This shows that the
increase in the rate of evaporation increases with the flow of air
current on the surface of the liquid.




14

Bibliography

www.google.com
www.gobookee.org
www.howstuffworks.com
Chemistry Lab Manual
CBSE Text book