Why is the relative density of styrene higher than that of ethylbenzene?
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The molecular weight of ethylbenzene is slightly higher than that of styrene, but why is the relative density of styrene (with water = 1) greater than that of ethylbenzene? Density is usually related to molecular weight and molecular structure; can someone explain this from the perspective of molecular structure?
Styrene is produced by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene; the atomic weight of hydrogen is 2, so styrene has a higher specific gravity than ethylbenzene.
Perhaps it is because the double bonds make the molecular structure of styrene more compact
Consider their spatial configuration, due to the effect of pi bonding, I guess?
I’ve long forgotten the physical chemistry I learned in university; I wonder if anyone who works in theoretical research can answer this question