Question

Which liquid would be a better coolant for a car engine, water or ethyl alcohol? Explain briefly. (HINT: A good coolant could absorb lots of heat and not go up very much in temperature. What relates ability to absorb heat with temperature?)

Answer 1

Compare the heat capacity for both ethyl alcohol and water?

Answer 2

Think about how long it takes water to heat up.

Answer 3

okay so would that be 0.59 for ethyl alcohol and 1.00 for water?
I'm not sure which one is the answer. I think ethyl alcohol but I could be completely wrong!

Answer 4

@Jhannybean what do you think?

Answer 5

They give you a pretty big hint right here: `A good coolant could absorb lots of heat and not go up very much in temperature`

Answer 6

Between water and ethyl alcohol, which one does that?

Answer 7

Also im not sure where you got the 0.59 and 1.00 from.

Answer 8

The hydrogen bonding in water makes it a better coolant if i'm not mistaken

Answer 9

That's what I was getting at without giving a direct answer, but yes, you are right.

Answer 10

Well they both can H bond

Answer 11

The thing is that I don't know anything about ethyl alcohol except that number 0.59, which is the specific heat (cal/g Celsius). Is that not what I'm supposed to be looking at cause that's what my lesson is about! And from my reading I know water can absorb a lot of heat and not go up in temperature. I guess water is the right answer? Idk haha

Answer 12

But water has a greater extent of H bonding

Answer 13

@greeneyes<3 specific heat depends on the molecules inter molecular forces as well

Answer 14

the stronger the molecules inter molecular forces, the more heat you need to raise the temperature by a certain amount

Answer 15

There is a lone pair of electrons on the hydrogen that acts as an electron donor in H bonding and a hydrogen that acts as an H bond acceptor.