Question

rubbing alchol on skin feels cold. is it exothermic or endothermic? why?

rubbing alchol on skin feels cold. is it exothermic or endothermic? why?

Homework Answers

Answer #1

The alcohol has a lower boiling point as compared to water. So, when you rub alcohol on your skin, it takes up the heat from your skin. On absorbing heat, the liquid alcohol changes into gaseous state and quickly evaporates. Since, it takes up the heat from the skin, and evaporates into air, our hand feels cold.

The absorption of heat is an endothermic process. Thus, since the alcohol absorbs heat from ther skin, it is an endothermic process.

When we rub water on our skin, nothing happens. This is because water has a higher boiling point than alcohol, and thus, does not evaporate easily. Alcohol, with low boiling point, is much more volatile and thus evaporates easily by absorbing the heat from our skin. Therefor, it is an endothermic process.

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