ACTIVITY

2.4

THE MELTING AND FREEZING

POINTS OF NAPTHALENE, C10H8

AIM
To

determine the melting and

freezing point of naphthalene, C10H8

Apparatus
Boiling

tube, 250 cm3 beaker,

stirring thermometer, tripod stand,
retort stand and clamp, Bunsen
burner, stopwatch, conical flask, wire
gauze

Materials
Naphthalene,

C10H8, tap water

Method
A) Heating of Naphthalene, C10H8
1)

A boiling tube was filled with

naphthalene, to a depth of 3 cm and
a thermometer was put into it.

2)

The boiling tube was suspended in

a beaker half-filled with water using
a retort stand and a clamp. The level
of Naphthalene in the boiling tube
was ensured to be below level of
water in the beaker

 3)

The water was heated and the

naphthalene was stirred slowly with
the thermometer . When the
temperature of naphthalene reached
60 C, the stopwatch started.

4)

The temperature and state(s) of

the naphthalene were recorded at
half-minute interval until the
temperature of the naphthalene

Heating of Naphthalene,
C10H8
Thermometer

Boiling tube
Water
Naphthalene,
C10H8

Method
B) Cooling of Naphthalene, C10H8
1)

The boiling tube in activity A was

removed from the water bath. The outer
surface of the boiling tube was dried and
immediately it was put into a conical flask.
The naphthalene , C10H8, was stirred
continuously.

The

temperature and state(s) of the

naphthalene were recorded at half-minute
intervals until the temperature dropped to
about 60 C

The freezing of
naphthalene

Results (example)
A) The melting of naphthalene
Time
(min)

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Temperatu
re
(C)

61.0

65.0

67.0

71.0

80.0

80.0

80.0

83.o

89.0

State

Solid

Solid

Solid Solid

Solid
and
Liqui
d

Solid
and
liqui
d

Soli
d
and
liqui
d

Liqui
d

Liqui
d

B) Freezing of
Naphtalene
Time
(min)

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Temperatu
re
(C)

87.0

84.0

81.0

80.0

80.0

80.0

80.0

76.0 73.0

State

Liquid

Liqui
d

Liqui
d

Liqui
d
and
solid

Liqui
d and
solid

Liqui Liqui
d and d and
solid solid

Soli
d

4.0

Soli
d

Graph
A) The melting of naphthalene

Graph
B) The freezing of naphthalene

Inference
The

flat section in each graph

indicates a change of state. The
temperature remains constant as the
heat energy is used to change the
state of napthalene

Discussion
1)

To ensure that naphthalene is

heated evenly / naphthalene is
flammable

2)

a) to ensure an even cooling and

minimize the heat loss to the
surrounding
b) to avoid supercooling

 3)

The melting and freezing point of naphthalene

4)

In the heating curve of naphthalene, the heat

energy absorbed by the particles is used to
overcome the forces between the particles so
that the solid can turn into liquid.
In the cooling curve of naphthalene, the heat
loss to surrounding is exactly balanced by the
heat energy liberated as the particles attract
one another to form a solid

Conclusion
The

melting and freezing point of

naphthalene are the same which is
__C