Rate of Evaporation of

Different Liquids

Index
1)Abstract and introduction
2)Factors influencing rate of evaporation
3)Applications
4)Theory
5)Experiment 1
6)Experiment 2
7)Experiment 3
8) conclusion
Abstract
In this project, we shall investigate various factors such as nature of
liquid, surface of liquid and temperature and find their correlation
with the rate of evaporation of different liquids.

Introduction
When a liquid is placed in an open vessel, it slowly escapes into
gaseous phase eventually leaving the vessel empty. This
phenomenon is known as vaporization or evaporation. Evaporation
of liquids can be explained in the terms of kinetic molecular model
although there are strong molecular attractive forces which hold
molecules together. The molecules having sufficient kinetic energy
can escape into gaseous phase. If such molecules happen to come
near the surface in a sample of liquid all the molecules do not have
same kinetic energy.
There is a small fraction of molecules which have enough kinetic
energy to overcome the attractive forces and escapes into gaseous
phase. 3 4 Chemistry project Evaporation causes cooling. This is due
to the reason that the molecules which undergo evaporation have
high Kinetic energy therefore the kinetic energy of the molecules
which are left behind is less. Since the remaining molecules which
are left have lower average kinetic energy. Therefore, temperature is
kept constant the remaining liquid will have same distribution of the
molecular kinetic energy and high molecular energy will kept one
escaping from liquid into gaseous phase of the liquid is taken in an
open vessel evaporation will continue until whole of the liquid
evaporates.

Evaporation is an essential part of the water cycle. Solar energy

drives evaporation of water from oceans, lakes, moisture in the soil,
and other sources of water. In hydrology, evaporation and
transpiration (which involves evaporation within plant stomata) are
collectively termed evapotranspiration. Evaporation is caused when
water is exposed to air and the liquid molecules turn into water
vapour which rises up and forms clouds.

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, 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
vapour 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 over the120 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
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 cloth dryer hot air is blown through the clothes,
allowing water to evaporate very rapidly.

Theory:
For molecules of a liquid to evaporate, they must be located near the
surface, be moving in the proper direction, and have sufficient
kinetic energy to overcome liquid -phase intermolecular forces. Only
a small proportion of the molecules meet these criteria, so the rate
of evaporation is limited. Since the kinetic energy of a molecule is
proportional to its temperature, evaporation proceeds more quickly
at higher temperatures. As the faster-moving molecules escape, the
remaining molecules have lower average kinetic energy, and the
temperature of the liquid thus decreases. This phenomenon is also
called evaporative cooling. This is why evaporating sweat cools the
human body. Evaporation also tends to proceed more quickly with
higher flow rates between the gaseous and liquid phase and in
liquids with higher vapour pressure. For example, laundry on a
clothes line will dry (by evaporation) more rapidly on a windy day
than on a still day. Three key parts to evaporation are heat, humidity
and air movement.
Experiment no. 1
Aim:
To compare the rates of evaporation of acetone, benzene and
chloroform.

Requirement:
Three same size Petri dishes of diameter 10 cm, 10 ml. pipettes, stop
watch, acetone benzene and chloroform.
Procedure:
1. Clean and dry all Petri dishes and identify them as A, B and C.
2. Pipette out of 10 ml. acetone in Petri dish "A" with stopper
similarly pipette out 10 ml of benzene and chloroform in each of
Petri "B" and "C".
3. Remove the cover plates from all Petri dishes and start the stop
watch.
4. Let the Petri dishes remain exposed for 10 minutes. Now cover
each of the Petri dish and note the volume of remaining material in
them.
Observation:
Time: 10 min. = 600 Sec.
Volume
Petri dishes Liquid Taken Vol. Evap. Rate (V/T)
remaining
Marked (V1) ml. V=V1–V2 ml./s
(V2) ml.
A 10 2 8 8/600=0.0133
B 10 3 7 7/600=0.0116
C 10 4 6 6/600=0.010

Results:
1. Rate of evaporation of Acetone is = 0.0133ml/s.
2. Rate of evaporation of Benzene is =0.0116ml/s.
3. Rate of evaporation of Chloroform is =0.010ml/s.
Conclusion:
The intermolecular forces of acetone, benzene and chloroform are in
order.
Chloroform > Benzene > Acetone.
Experiment no. 2

Aim:
To study the effect of surface area on the rate of evaporation of
diethyl ether.

Requirement:
Three Petri dishes of diameter 2.5 cm, 5 cm, 7.5 cm. with cover 10
ml. of pipette and stop watch.
Procedure:
1. Clean and dry all Petri dishes and mark them as A, B and C.
2. Pipette out of 10 ml. diethyl ether in each of the Petri dishes A, B
and C and cover them immediately.
3. Uncover all three Petri dishes and start the stop watch.
4. Note the remaining volume after 10 min. vaporization of diethyl
ether from each Petri dish.
Observation:
Time: 10 min. = 600 Sec.
Petri dishes Diameter of Volume Taken Remaining Evaporated
Marked P.T.Ds. (ml.) Vol. (ml.) volume
A 2.5 10 4 6
B 5.0 10 2 8
C 7.5 10 0 10

Results:
The order of evaporation of acetone in three Petri dishes as 7.5 > 5.0
> 2.5 cm.
Conclusion: Larger the surface area more is evaporation.
Experiment no. 3
Aim:
To study the effect of temperature on the rate of evaporation of
acetone.

Requirement:
Two Petri dishes of 5 cm. diameter each stop watch, 10 ml. pipette,
thermometer and thermostat.
Procedure:
1. Wash and Clean, dry the Petri dishes and mark them as A, B.
2. Pipette out of 10 ml. of acetone to each of Petri dishes A and B
and cover them.
3. Put one Petri dish at room temperature and to the other heat for
same time.
4. Note the reading.
Observation
Initial Volume 10 ml. of Acetone.
Petri dishes volume
Conditions Time (Sec.)
Marked Evaporated (ml.)
A With fan 40 10
B without fan 50 10

Results:
The order of evaporation of acetone in two Petri dishes as given
With fan > Without Fan

Conclusion:
Observation clearly shows that the evaporation increases with
temperature.