Describe7 marksChallenge
A student placed equal volumes of water and ethanol in two identical beakers on the same hotplate. The temperature of each liquid was recorded every 60 seconds for 3 minutes. The results are shown in the table.
| Time (s) | Temperature of water (°C) | Temperature of ethanol (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 20 | 20 |
| 60 | 25 | 32 |
| 120 | 30 | 44 |
| 180 | 35 | 55 |
Describe how hydrogen bonding between water molecules explains the observed temperature changes. Also, describe how water's high specific heat capacity and high latent heat of vaporisation are important for living organisms.