To compare the rates
of evaporation of
water, acetone and
diethyl ether
Name- Sharon Isaac Samuel
Class- XI – C
Sch no.- 10535
THE ASIAN SCHOOL
KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Sharon
Isaac Samuel of class
XI-C has successfully completed
her Chemistry
Project on the Topic: To compare
the rates of evaporation of
water, acetone and diethyl
ether,
during the academic year2025-
2026 as per the
guidelines issued by CBSE.
INDEX
Topic
Page no
Certificate
2
Introduction
3
Factors affecting
4
rate of evaporation
Application
Theory
Experiment
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
When liquid is placed in an open vessel, it
slowly escapes into gaseous phase
eventually leaving the vessel empty. This
phenomenon is known as evaporation.
Evaporation of liquids can be explained in
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.
Evaporation causes cooling. This is due to
the reason that molecules which undergo
evaporation have higher kinetic energy and
therefore, the kinetic energy of the molecule
which were left behind are less.
Temperature is kept constant and the
remaining liquid will have the same
distribution of the molecular kinetic energy
and higher molecular energy will keep on
escaping from liquid into gaseous phase
which would be taken in an open vessel
where the evaporation will continue until it
gets evaporated.
Evaporation is an essential part of the water
cycle. Solar energy drives evaporation of
water from oceans, lakes, moisture in the
soil and the other sources of water.
Evaporation is caused when water is
exposed to air and the liquid molecules
turns into vapours which rises up to form
into clouds.
Factors affecting 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
air- If air is already saturated with other
substances, it can have lower capacity for
the substance evaporating.
3. Temperature of the substance- If the
substance is hot, then the 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 substances all the time,
then the concentration of the substance in
the air is likely to go up with time, thus
encouraging faster evaporation. In addition,
molecules have more energy than those at
rest, and so stronger the flow of air, greater
the evaporating power of the air molecules.
5. Inter-molecular forces- Stronger the
forces keeping the molecules together
in the liquid or solid states, more the
energy that must be input in order to
evaporate them.
APPLICATIONS
1. Temperature: The Heat is On!
Imagine a puddle on a hot summer day. The
higher the temperature, the more excited
the water molecules become, buzzing and
bouncing around like tiny kids on a
trampoline. This frenzy allows them to break
free from the liquid’s embrace and soar into
the air as vapor, leaving the puddle behind.
2. Humidity: The Watery Blanket
Humidity is like a cozy blanket for water
vapor. When the air is already saturated
with water vapor, it’s harder for more vapor
to escape. Think of it as a crowded dance
floor – there’s only so much room to move!
THEORY
Evaporation is a 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 a liquid in order for it to
evaporate, that is kinetic energy must
exceed the work function of cohesion at
the surface. Evaporation therefore
proceeds more quickly at higher
temperatures and in liquids 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 evaporation is limited. Also,
as the faster molecules escape, the
remaining molecules have lower
average kinetic energy, and the
temperature of the liquid 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, while 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 changes
in either of the vapor pressure and
density or liquid temperature will occur.
EXPERIMENT
Aim:
To compare the rate of evaporation of water, acetone
and diethyl ether.
Materials required:
China dish
Pipette
Beaker
Weighing balance Measuring flask
Acetone
Distilled water
Diethyl ether
Watch
PROCEDURE:
1. Take three china dishes.
2. Pipette out 10 ml of each sample.
3. Dish A-Acetone Dish B-Water Dish C-Diethyl ether
4. Record the weights before beginning the experiment.
5. Leave the three dishes undisturbed for ½ an hr and
wait patiently.
6. Record the weights of the samples after the given
time.
7. Compare the prior and present observations.
1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. C
