Question

When 50 mL of phenol and 50 mL of aniline are mixed, predict whether the volume of the solution is equal to, greater than or less than 100 mL. Give a reason to support your answer.

Answer 1

When phenol and aniline are mixed, they form strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Due to this strong attraction, the molecules come closer and pack more tightly, causing volume contraction. Hence, the final volume becomes less than 100 mL.