Final answer:
Rubbing alcohol evaporates more rapidly than water at standard temperature and pressure because it has weaker intermolecular forces than water, which allows its molecules to escape into the vapor phase more easily. It also possesses a higher vapor pressure, further contributing to its rapid evaporation. The correct answer to the question is 'c) Rubbing alcohol has weaker intermolecular forces.'
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason rubbing alcohol evaporates more rapidly than water at STP (standard temperature and pressure) can be traced back to the nature of the intermolecular forces at play within different liquids. In the case of rubbing alcohol, which primarily contains ethanol, the intermolecular forces are weaker than in water.
Water has extensive hydrogen bonding, which is a strong type of dipole-dipole attraction that occurs between molecules that have a hydrogen atom attached to a highly electronegative atom like oxygen. Rubbing alcohol, while it can also form hydrogen bonds, has a weaker overall intermolecular force compared with water.
Because of these weaker intermolecular forces, rubbing alcohol molecules can escape into the vapor phase more readily, which explains why the liquid evaporates faster. Additionally, rubbing alcohol has a higher vapor pressure than water, contributing to its rapid evaporation.