13.15 What effect does branching of an alkane chain has on its boiling point?
On an increase in the branching of the alkane, the boiling point of the alkane is decreased. Alkane experience inter-molecular van der Waals forces. The strong is the force, strong will be the boiling point. When we increase the branching, the surface area of the molecule decreases, as a result, of the van der Waals force also decreases.