Question

For mercury, the enthalpy of vaporization is 58.51 kJ/mol. What does this value represent?

A) The energy required to melt mercury
B) The energy released when mercury solidifies
C) The energy required to boil mercury
D) The energy released when mercury condenses

Answer 1

The enthalpy of vaporization for mercury, at 58.51 kJ/mol, represents the energy required to boil mercury from liquid to gas.

Step-by-step explanation:

The enthalpy of vaporization is the amount of energy needed to convert one mole of a liquid into gas at constant temperature and pressure. For mercury, the enthalpy of vaporization is 58.51 kJ/mol. This value represents the energy required to boil mercury (C) from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase at its boiling point. The process involves overcoming the intermolecular forces to turn the liquid into vapor, and this energy input is critical for understanding the properties of mercury and its changes of state.