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 .

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Identify the melting point and boiling point of acetic acid: the melting point is 16.7 °C, and the boiling point is 118 °C.

Understand the physical states of a substance: below the melting point, the substance is a solid; between the melting point and boiling point, it is a liquid; above the boiling point, it is a gas.

Compare the given ambient temperature (10 °C) to the melting point (16.7 °C) and boiling point (118 °C).

Since 10 °C is below the melting point of 16.7 °C, the acetic acid will be in the solid state at this temperature.

Conclude that at 10 °C, acetic acid is a solid because the temperature is lower than its melting point.

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Key Concepts

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

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. If the ambient temperature is below this value, acetic acid will remain in its solid state.

Boiling Point

The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid turns into vapor. Acetic acid has a boiling point of 118 °C, meaning it will remain a liquid at temperatures below this threshold. This concept is crucial for understanding the phase changes of substances.

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, illustrating the relationship between temperature and physical state.

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