Answer to Question #184478 in General Chemistry for Sheikha

Question

What was the purpose of the layer of oil on top of the liquid in some of the

experimental set-ups

Answer 1

Oil floats on the surface because water is heavier than oil. Scientists say that water is more dense than oil. This is why the oil always stays in the top container.

It will always float on top of water, creating a surface layer of oil. You might have seen this on streets after a heavy rain—some water puddles will have a coating of oil floating on them.