Question

Explain how mixture melting points can be used to distinguish between two compounds

Answer 1

generally melting point of mixture is always different from melting point of pure compound

lets say you have a two compounds called A and B

and you have a unknown compound called X which can be either A or B

now your target is to find unknown is really A or B right?

take some amount of X and mix it with A and B separately

out of these two mixtures one will be pure compound (because we initially assume that unknown can be either A or B)

suppose X + A is same melting with A then X is A

X +B will be less than the melting point of A or

suppose X+B is same melting point like B then X is B

X+A will be less than melting point of B