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Ch.11 - Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Chapter 11, Problem 74

Consider the phase diagram for iodine shown here. a. What is the normal boiling point for iodine? b. What is the melting point for iodine at 1 atm? c. What state is present at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure? d. What state is present at 186 °C and 1.0 atm?

Verified step by step guidance
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Step 1: Understand the phase diagram. A phase diagram shows the state of a substance at various temperatures and pressures. Identify the axes: typically, pressure is on the y-axis and temperature on the x-axis.
Step 2: Locate the normal boiling point. The normal boiling point is the temperature at which the substance transitions from liquid to gas at 1 atm pressure. Find the point on the diagram where the liquid-gas boundary intersects 1 atm.
Step 3: Determine the melting point at 1 atm. The melting point is where the substance transitions from solid to liquid at 1 atm. Locate the point on the diagram where the solid-liquid boundary intersects 1 atm.
Step 4: Identify the state at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure. Room temperature is approximately 25 °C, and normal atmospheric pressure is 1 atm. Find this point on the diagram and determine which region (solid, liquid, or gas) it falls into.
Step 5: Determine the state at 186 °C and 1.0 atm. Locate this point on the phase diagram and identify which region it falls into to determine the state of iodine at these conditions.

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Phase Diagrams

A phase diagram is a graphical representation that shows the states of a substance (solid, liquid, gas) at various temperatures and pressures. It typically includes lines that separate different phases, indicating conditions under which a substance will change from one phase to another. Understanding phase diagrams is crucial for determining boiling and melting points, as well as predicting the state of a substance under specific conditions.
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Normal Boiling Point

The normal boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which it transitions from a liquid to a gas at a pressure of 1 atmosphere (atm). This point is significant because it reflects the energy required for the molecules to overcome intermolecular forces and enter the gaseous state. For iodine, identifying the normal boiling point involves locating the corresponding temperature on the phase diagram at 1 atm.
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Melting Point

The melting point is the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid at a given pressure, typically 1 atm. This point is where the solid and liquid phases coexist in equilibrium. In the context of iodine, the melting point can be determined from the phase diagram by finding the temperature at which the solid phase transitions to the liquid phase at 1 atm pressure.
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