Abdulhamit TANRISEVEN 127 11-C
Polarity of Liquids
Research Question
How can we investigate polarity of Di ethylether, Ethanol, Methanol and water by using charged
rode?
Aim
To classify Di ethylether, Ethanol, Methanol and water in terms of polarity.
Background information
Separation of electric charge leading to a molecule or its chemical groups having an electric
dipole or multipole moment. Polar molecules interact through dipole–dipole intermolecular forces
and hydrogen bonds. Molecular polarity is dependent on the difference in electronegativity between
atoms in a compound and the asymmetry of the compound's structure.
Variables
Independent Variables:

Di ethylether

Ethanol

Methanol

Water
Dependent

Charge of flow
Control variables

Temperature

Pressure

Humidity
Abdulhamit TANRISEVEN 127 11-C
Apparatus:

400ml beaker ×4

Holder ×4

Stand ×4

Funnel ×4

50 cm3 burettes×4

Charged rode ×4

Di ethylether

Ethanol

Methanol

Water
Method:

4 burettes were attached to stands by using holders

Then liquids were put into burettes by using funnel

Beakers were placed under burettes

The rod was charged

Then Di ethylether was flown and the charged rod was brought closer the flowing liquid.
Then pulled back. Result was observed

Again rod was charged.

Then Ethanol was flown and the charged rod was brought closer the flowing liquid. Then
pulled back. Result was observed.

Again rod was charged.

Then Methanol was flown and the charged rod was brought closer the flowing liquid. Then
pulled back. Result was observed.

Again rod was charged.

Then water was flown and the charged rod was brought closer the flowing liquid. Then pulled
back. Result was observed.
Abdulhamit TANRISEVEN 127 11-C
Results
Di ethylether
Ethanol
Methanol
Water
Polar
×
√
√
√
Non-polar
√
×
×
×
(Negative result: ×, positive result: √)
Conclusion
In this experiment, the results were showed that it is easy to tell if a liquid is polar or
not by bringing an electrostatically charged rod close to a jet of liquid running out of burette.
If the liquid is polar the steam of liquid will attached to the rod which is charged. If it is nonpolar, the liquid will be unaffected. So the observations are all like that. Di ethylether was not
affected when it was running out. But for Ethanol, Methanol and Water the results were
opposite. They were affected and they attached to the rod. As a conclusion, Di ethylether
was non-polar. Nevertheless, water, ethanol and methanol were polar. This occur because, in
the electrical field produced by the rod, the molecules of liquid orientate themselves so that
the end closest to the rod has the opposite charged to the rod, meaning that the
electrostatic force of attraction is greater than the force of repulsion.
Evaluation
This experiment was investigated how polarity of liquids observed by our sense. This
experiment totally depended on the personal sense which is the human eyes. The results
were determined by eyes and our movements. There were no measurements of how much
the rod has to charge. Maybe for one of them the rod charged more or less, there is no
justification for those results. Because of that this experiment can be accurate unless the
more experiments should carry out again and again. Then the average of these gave us the
accurate but not precise results. So the experiment should repeat again to make sure the
results were correct.