Comparative Dissolution Rates of Alcohols in Water <i>via</i> Laser Irradiation

In this paper, a laser irradiation method was applied to compare the dissolution rates of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, and isopropanol in water with a focus on investigating how the molecular structure of alcohols affects their dissolution kinetics. Since the dissolution rate of liquids is affected by multiple factors, such as molecular polarity, viscosity, diffusivity, and intermolecular forces, in the process of experiment a controlled-variable method is used. By measuring the time taken for different alcohols to dissolve completely, how these factors impact dissolution kinetics is explored. It indicates that the dissolution rates of water-miscible alcohols follow the order: methanol > ethanol > n-propanol > isopropanol. The results can be verified by analyzing properties such as the molecular volume and the strength of intermolecular forces. This experiment enables students to gain a deeper appreciation of the core chemical principle that “structure determines properties”.