Pure acetic acid, which gives the sour taste to vinegar, has a melting point of 16.7 ° C and a boiling point of 118 ° C . Predict the physical state of acetic acid when the ambient temperature is 10 ° C .

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the melting point and boiling point of acetic acid: 16.7 °C and 118 °C, respectively.
2. Determine the ambient temperature given in the problem: 10 °C.
3. Compare the ambient temperature to the melting point: 10 °C is below 16.7 °C.
4. Since the ambient temperature is below the melting point, acetic acid will be in a solid state.
5. Conclude that at 10 °C, acetic acid is expected to be solid because it is below its melting point.

Key Concepts

Melting Point

The melting point is the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid. For pure acetic acid, this point is 16.7 °C. At temperatures below this point, acetic acid will remain in a solid state, while at temperatures above it, it will transition to a liquid.

Boiling Point

The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid turns into vapor. For acetic acid, the boiling point is 118 °C. This means that at temperatures below this point, acetic acid will not vaporize, remaining in a liquid state until it reaches this temperature.

Physical State

The physical state of a substance refers to its form, which can be solid, liquid, or gas, depending on temperature and pressure. At 10 °C, which is below the melting point of acetic acid, it will be in a solid state, as it has not reached the temperature required to melt.