Thermal Analysis of Hydrocarbons, Leybold Products

Leybold Chemistry Experiments.

In order to determine the number of hydrogen atoms as compared with the number of carbon atoms, hydrocarbons can be separated into their elements by thermal decomposition. With gaseous hydrocarbons, this can be done with a filament in a combustion chamber. There the gas is split into hydrogen and carbon black (soot). The ratio of hydrogen to carbon in the compound can be derived directly from the increase in gas volume. In experiment C2.1.2.1, the gases methane and ethane are studied in this way.