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Steam distillation operates on the principle of Dalton's law of partial pressures. If P1 and P2 represent the vapor pressures of water vapor and toluene at the distillation temperature, toluene begins to boil when the total pressure equals atmospheric pressure, i.e., P = P1 + P2 or P2 = P - P1.

1. This means that when toluene boils in the presence of steam, its partial pressure P2 is lower than the atmospheric pressure.
2. Since the electronegativity of N, O, and F follows the order N < O < F, the -I effect order based on electronegativity is –NR2 < –OR < –F.
3. An atom or group that attracts electrons more strongly than hydrogen is said to exhibit a -I effect.
4. Therefore, the greater the electronegativity of an atom, the stronger its -I effect will be.

Correct answer: This means that when toluene boils in the presence of steam, its partial pressure P2 is lower than the atmospheric pressure.

Solution

The principle of steam distillation relies on Dalton's law, where the total pressure is the sum of partial pressures. This makes option A correct as it explains the reduced partial pressure of toluene during steam distillation.

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