Provide an example of the boiling and melting points of different alkanes.

The boiling and melting points of alkanes increase with increasing molecular size.

Alkanes are a group of hydrocarbons that contain only single covalent bonds between carbon atoms. The boiling and melting points of alkanes depend on their molecular size and shape. As the size of the molecule increases, the boiling and melting points also increase due to the increase in intermolecular forces between the molecules.

For example, methane (CH4) has a boiling point of -161.5°C and a melting point of -182.5°C. This is because methane is a small molecule with weak intermolecular forces, so it requires less energy to break the bonds between the molecules.

In contrast, pentane (C5H12) has a boiling point of 36.1°C and a melting point of -129.8°C. This is because pentane is a larger molecule with stronger intermolecular forces, so it requires more energy to break the bonds between the molecules.

Similarly, decane (C10H22) has a boiling point of 174.1°C and a melting point of -29.7°C. This is because decane is an even larger molecule with even stronger intermolecular forces, so it requires even more energy to break the bonds between the molecules.

Overall, the boiling and melting points of alkanes increase with increasing molecular size due to the increase in intermolecular forces between the molecules.