50 ml of ethyl alcohol amd 40ml of water combined in a beaker add up to 90ml of liquid why is this? (Particle theory)

Answer 1

I suppose the answer your teacher wants is 50+40 = 90 on the basis that 50 parts one liquid + 40 parts of another makes 90 total.
But let me let you in on the real world. Volumes, in almost all cases are NOT additive. Sometimes volumes add to give more than the total of the two and sometimes they give less. In particular, in the case of ethyl alcohol and water, they give less. If you take 50 mL of ethyl alcohol and add 50 mL water, the total volume will be about 96 mL and not 100.

Answer 2

The ethyl alcohol does not mix with the water and they both separate because ethyl alcohol is less denser than water which prevents it to dissolve and therefore, the beaker adds up to 90ml.

Answer 3

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