Question

For ethanol, propanol, and n-butanol the boiling points, surface tensions, and viscosities all increase. what is the reason for this increase?

Answer 1

Moving from Ethanol through Propanol to Butanol the physical properties like boiling points, surface tension and viscosity increases because of the increases in intermolecular interactions between the molecules of given compounds.

Explanation:
                   Ethanol, propanol and butanol all have hydroxyl groups in common, means all have hydrogen bond intractions between their molecules. So, taking the hydrogen bonding interaction constant we are left with only the difference in the number of carbon atoms.
                    Butanol has the greatest physical properties than other two because it has four carbon atom chain. So, as we know the London Dispersion forces or Van der Waal forces increases with increase in molecular size and chain length of hydrocarbon.
                    Therefore, the strength of London forces is greater in butanol than other two while ethanol has the smallest chain comparatively hence, lowest physical properties.