Final answer:
The evaporation rate of methanol changes when mixed with wiper fluid due to alterations in intermolecular forces and vapor pressure, which could lead to a slower evaporation process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, the evaporation rate of methanol from a surface does change when it's mixed with other substances like wiper fluid. This is because the presence of other substances can alter the intermolecular forces which affect rates of vaporization, evaporation, and condensation.
When methanol is mixed with other substances, this can lead to a lowering of the vapor pressure and a corresponding elevation of the boiling point based on the total number of solute particles.
Furthermore, volatile liquids like methanol generally have high vapor pressures and tend to evaporate quickly. When mixed, if the new substance interacts with methanol such that it creates stronger intermolecular attractive forces compared to pure methanol, the evaporation rate may decrease.
Moreover, mixtures that form ideal solutions, such as methanol and ethanol, tend to have no significant change in energy during mixing since the intermolecular forces between the molecules of the two substances are very similar. However, wiper fluid often contains compounds different from methanol, which may impact the vapor pressure and hence evaporation rate differently.