Provide an explanation for the following scenario: Jim Bob was working in a laboratory. He needed to work up a reaction that used concentrated sulfuric acid. Jim Bob’s boss told him to use diethyl ether but he mistakenly used ethyl acetate. Jim mixed the ethyl acetate and the acid/aqueous layer and was waiting for the two to separate but they never did. What happened to the ethyl acetate under the strongly acidic conditions? Why would diethyl have been a better solvent?

the answer is d. 74.02

hydrocarbons are organic compounds that contain only hydrogens and carbons. they can be saturated (those which contain only carbon-carbon single bonds) or unsaturated (those which contain carbon-carbon double or triple bonds) in nature. hydrocarbons can undergo several reactions like substitution, elimination etc.  

on substituting one or more hydrogen atoms in hydrocarbon it results in the formation of haloalkane. as the halogen atoms are large compared to the carbon and hydrogen atoms, due to which the molecular weight increases and the bond become polar because of presence electronegative halogen atom and results in the increase in boiling point of the haloalkane.

thus, the correct option is (b) that is the boiling point of the new compound increases on substituting a hydrogen atom with a halogen in a hydrocarbon.