Question

The boiling point of ethyl ether was measured to be 10 °C at a base camp on the slopes of Mount Everest. as shown to determine the approximate atmospheric pressure at the camp.

Figure 10.24 The boiling points of liquids are the temperatures at which their equilibrium vapor pressures equal the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. Normal boiling points are those corresponding to a pressure of 1 atm (101.3

kPa.)

Short answer

Approximate atmospheric pressure, at the camp, at \({10.0^\circ }{\rm{C}}\), boiling point of ethyl ether , will be : \({P_{{\rm{atm }}}} = \) \(40.0{\rm{kPa}}\) ( or 0.4 atm ).

Step-by-step solution

Define the vapour pressure  

The temperature at the physical state of the liquids starts changing to a gaseous state is called the boiling point. At this temperature, the vapor pressure of the liquid becomes equal to the external pressure.

 Identify the Approximate atmospheric pressure

At the base camp on the slopes of Mount Everest, the boiling point of ethyl ether is \({10^\circ }{\rm{C}}\).

The temperatures where the vapor pressures which is in equilibrium is similar to the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere is the boiling points of liquids.

Normal boiling points relates to the pressure of one atmosphere or \(101.3{\rm{kPa}}\).

From the graph at a temperature of \({10^\circ }{\rm{C}}\), the approximate atmospheric pressure is \(40{\rm{kPa}}\) which is nothing but \(0.4\;{\rm{atm}}\).

The approximate atmospheric pressure of ethyl ether at the camp is \(40{\rm{kPa}}\).