Chapter U2.46, Problem 7E

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation : Reason for cotton T- shirt to smell after being taken out of clothes dryer is to be explained.

Concept Introduction :

One can smell gaseous molecules more easily. Warming or heating a liquid or solid generally increases the intensity of the smell.

Answer to Problem 7E

Heating causes smell of some large molecules to be detected easily as they change to gas thus, more molecules are present in air, it is easy to detect them. After washing when the T- shirt is removed from the dryer, it is warm and so the molecules of detergent and other liquids used to wash it changes to gaseous state. These large molecules are then easy to detect through smell.

Explanation of Solution

The smell of the molecules that can exist in gaseous form can be detected easily as they can reach the receptor sites of our nose.

Some large molecules that are solids or liquids at room temperature may undergo a phase change upon heating. Heating may cause them to be smell easily as more molecules are present in air and it is easy to detect them.

When the cotton T- shirt is removed from the dryer, it is warm and so the molecules of detergent and other liquids used to wash it change their phase to gases. These gas molecules can easily reach our nose and one can smell them.

Conclusion

Large molecules may change their phase upon heating and are easy to detect them through smell as they can easily reach our nose.