MOLAR MASS BY FREEZING POINT DEPRESSION

(An experiment on Colligative Properties)

Patricia Dionne Nuñez

BSChem 2B, Laboratory
Instructor: Leonar Jun Gabiana

Central Mindanao University

April 24, 2023
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Abstract
Abstract

Colligative properties are properties of solutions that depend on the concentration of

the solute particles, not on its nature. These properties include vapor pressure lowering,
boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmosis pressure. These have many
practical applications that people use in their day-to-day lives, which include applying salt on
roads, antifreeze in cars, and making ice creams. The experiment aimed to determine the
molar mass of the unknown compound using cryoscopic method. It utilized the freezing point
depression property of solutions. Cooling curves were constructed by plotting the time
against temperature. These cooling curves were used to determine the freezing points of the
pure solvent and solutions based on the intersection point of extrapolated lines of the two
portions of the cooling curve. The freezing point depression used to determine the molar
mass of the unknown compound was determined by identifying first the freezing point of the
solvent, which is naphthalene. When solute was added to the solvent, the resulting
temperature were decreased as compared to the pure solvent.
The results of the experiment showed that the molar mass of the unknown compound
was found to be 121.22 g/mol, which differed from the literature value of 122.12 g/mol by a
0.74 %. The identity of the unknown solute was found to be benzoic acid. Moreover, the heat
of fusion of naphthalene was experimentally determined to be 4.64 kJ/mol. Compared to the
literature value of 19.0 kJ/mol, the percent error was found to be 75.58 %. Overall, the
experiment was conducted to demonstrate the lowering of the freezing point when a non-
volatile solute is added to the solvent.

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Introduction
Introduction

One of the most common laboratory experiments carried out in chemistry

undergraduate courses deals with the analysis of the important properties of certain solutions.
Solutions are homogeneous mixtures that consist of solute and solvent. These important
properties of the solutions depend upon the concentration of the solute, but not on the nature
of the solute particles. These properties are called colligative properties which include vapor
pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmotic pressure
(Flowers et al., 2019). For an instance, when a particular nonvolatile solute is dissolved in a
given liquid solvent, the vapor pressure of the solvent decreases, increasing the change in the
vapor pressure of the solvent. This phenomenon is an example of vapor pressure lowering
which is affected by the presence of solute particles in the solvent. The greater the number of
nonvolatile solute particles added to the solvent, the lesser the tendency for the solvent
particles to evaporate, thus lowering the vapor pressure of the solution (16.12: The Lowering
of Vapor Pressure, 2022). Adding solute to the solvent also raises the boiling point and
lowers the freezing point of the solvent. Colligative properties, particularly freezing point
depression, have many practical applications that people use in their daily lives. An example
is the salting of roads in cold-weather climates. Applying salt on icy roads affects the freezing
point depression of the water, thereby lowering the temperature (Banin & Anderson, 1974).
Lowering the temperature of the water prevents ice or frost from forming, making driving
safer.

Another application of colligative properties is the determination of the molar mass of

an unknown substance, which is the focus of this experiment. The cryoscopic method is
utilized to determine the molar mass of the unknown substance by dissolving it in a reference
solvent and measuring the freezing point depression of the solution (Cruz, n.d.). When a
particular solute is dissolved in a solvent, the equation below holds true
ΔT =K f ∙ m
Thus, the decrease in freezing point (T) is directly proportional to the molal
concentration (m) of the solute present in the solution. Through cryoscopy, the freezing point
depression constant, Kf, can be used to determine the unknown molar mass of a substance.
Since temperature change is proportional to the total number of solute particles in the
solution, the greater the number of particles in the solution, the greater the temperature

3
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Introduction
change. For this reason, the van’t Hoff Factor, denoted by i, is multiplied by the product of K f
and m in the above’s equation. This factor is the number of particles (ions) produced per
formula unit (Bursten et al., 2017).

In this experiment, the molar mass of the unknown substance can be determined
through the cryoscopic method. Specifically, this experiment was carried out with the
following objectives: (1) construct cooling curves by plotting time against temperature; (2)
determine the freezing points of the pure solvent and several solutions from the cooling
curves; (3) determine the molar mass of the unknown sample from the freezing point; and (4)
measure the heat of fusion of the naphthalene.

4
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Methods and Materials
Methods and Materials

I. Chemicals and Apparatus

The following apparatus and chemicals were used in conducting the experiment:
25x200 mm test tube, iron ring stand, utility clamp, 500-mL beaker, stir bar, stirring rod,
thermometer, spatula, watch glass, analytical balance, alcohol lamp, wire gauze, naphthalene,
diphenylamine, and unknown sample.

II. Experimental Procedure

A. Freezing Point of Pure Naphthalene
The following steps were followed to determine the freezing point of the pure
naphthalene.
Step 1: Preparation of the experiment. Using filter paper, 4.9997 g of naphthalene
was weighed to the nearest thousandth in the analytical balance and then transferred into a
25x200 mm test tube. The test tube was cleaned and dried. The test tube containing the
naphthalene was clamped on the ring stand inside a 500 mL beaker filled with ¾ full of
water. The thermometer was then placed into the test tube to measure the temperature. The
thermometer was also clamped on the ring stand to ensure that its tip would not touch the
tube wall.
Step 2: Collection of the data. Once the test tube and the thermometer were
positioned, the beaker filled with water was then heated on an alcohol lamp until all of the
naphthalene had melted. Once the naphthalene was all melted, the test tube was removed
from the water bath and the temperature vs time data was collected. The temperature of the
naphthalene was measured every 20 seconds until it solidified.
Step 3: Determination of the freezing point. After collecting the data, a cooling
curve was constructed by plotting the time against the temperature. From the graph, the
freezing point of the naphthalene was determined. The naphthalene was melted again and its
freezing point was measured one more time.

B. Freezing Point Depression of Cyclohexane Solution

In this part, the freezing point depression of the cyclohexane solution was determined.
The following steps were followed to carry out the experiment.

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Methods and Materials
Step 1: Preparation of Diphenylamine. Exactly 0.1006 g of diphenylamine was
weighed to the nearest thousandth of a gram and the mass was recorded. The solidified
naphthalene from part A was melted again. Once all melted, the thermometer was removed
from the test tube ensuring that no liquid was lost from the tube. The sample of
diphenylamine was added to the melted naphthalene. The thermometer was then repositioned
in the solution. Then, the diphenylamine was dissolved by stirring and warming the solution.
Step 2: Collection of the data. Once the solution had melted and the diphenylamine
was fully incorporated with the naphthalene, the test tube was removed from the water bath,
and the temperature was recorded until the entire solution was solidified. The temperature
was measured every 20 seconds. A cooling curve was then constructed by plotting
temperature vs. time. The freezing point of the solution was then determined from the cooling
curve. Two trials were performed in this experiment.
Step 3: Determination of the freezing point depression constant, K . The freezing
f

point depression constant, Kf of naphthalene was determined using the equation below

ΔT
ΔT = Kf · m → K f = (1)
m

To isolate the Kf, the T was divided by molality (m) of the solution. T was determined
by getting the difference of the freezing point of the cyclohexane solution from the freezing
point of the pure naphthalene (ΔT = T o-Tf). In this experiment, diphenylamine is the solute
dissolved in the naphthalene (solvent). The molality of the solution can be measured by
dividing the moles of the solute by the kilograms of the solvent. This can be expressed using
the equation below
mol solute
m= (2)
kg solvent

C. Determination of the Molar Mass of an Unknown

In this section, the molar mass of the unknown sample was determined. Followed by
the determination of the heat of fusion (ΔfusH) of the naphthalene. The following steps were
followed to carry out the experiment.
Step 1: Preparation of the unknown sample. The naphthalene solution from part 2
was emptied into a waste container. The test tube was then rinsed with a small amount of
solvent provided. The test tube and thermometer were dried and cleaned. A fresh 4.9999 g of
naphthalene was added into the tube and 0.1005 g of the unknown sample was weighed to the

6
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Methods and Materials
nearest thousandth. The naphthalene was melted first and once melted; the unknown sample
was added to the test tube containing the naphthalene. After the unknown sample had fully
dissolved in the naphthalene, remove the test tube from the water bath.
Step 2: Determination of the freezing point of the solution. Once the test tube was
removed from the water bath, the temperature of the solution was measured at 20 seconds
intervals until all of the solutions had solidified. A cooling curve was constructed by plotting
the relationship between temperature and time. The freezing point of the solution was
determined from the cooling curve. Two trials were performed.
Step 3: Determination of the molar mass of the unknown sample, and ΔfusH of
naphthalene. The molar mass of the unknown sample was determined using the equation
below

ΔT
ΔT = Kf · m → m= (3)
Kf

The molar mass can be determined by isolating the m. To determine the m, T is

divided by Kf, which was already determined from part 2. Once the m was determined, the
moles of the solute can be calculated by multiplying the m by the kilograms of the solvent
used. The molar mass can now be calculated by dividing the grams of the solute by the
obtained moles of the solute. The equation for determining the molar mass of the unknown
sample can be simplified using the equation below

g solute
MM= (4)
kg solvent ∙ m
The following equation is utilized for the determination of the ΔfusH of the
naphthalene. The ΔfusH can be calculated by dividing the product of the constant R and the
square of T to the value of K.
*

¿2 ¿2
MM ∙ R T MM ∙ R T
K= → Δ fus H = (5)
Δ fus H K

7
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
Results And Discussion

This section presents all the results and discussion of the data gathered throughout the
process of conducting the experiment. The goal of this lab was to determine the freezing
points of the pure solvent and solutions. Particularly, it aimed to determine the molar mass of
the unknown compound by freezing point depression and determine its identity. The results
are presented in tables and figures. This section is divided into three parts: (1) freezing point
of pure naphthalene, (2) freezing point depression constant for naphthalene, (3) determination
of the molar mass of an unknown compound, and (4) determination of heat of fusion of
naphthalene.

A. Freezing point of pure naphthalene

The freezing point values were calculated using cooling curves obtained by recording
the temperature as a function of time (Hoare, 1960). In the experiment, the freezing point of
the naphthalene was determined from the intersection point of the straight-line extrapolations
of the two portions of the cooling curve constructed by plotting temperature vs. time data. To
find the freezing point, the two linear equations shown in the figures below were set equally
to each other to find the independent variable x. The measured x was substituted to either of
the two equations to determine the freezing point of the naphthalene. The measured freezing
point is the temperature at which the slope began to level off or form a straight line. Two
trials were performed in the experiment and compared to see which one came up with the
most accurate result. Figures 1 and 2 show the cooling curves of pure naphthalene for trial 1
and trial 2, respectively.

Figure 1. Cooling curve of pure naphthalene for trial 1.

8
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion

Figure 2. Cooling curve of pure naphthalene for trial 2.

The measured freezing point of pure naphthalene for trial 1 was 83.92 ℃. For trial 2,
the measured freezing point was 81.06 ℃. The calculated freezing point values were
compared to the literature value of naphthalene, which has a freezing point of 80.20 ℃ (CK-
12 Foundation, 2022). The percent error for trial 1 was calculated to be 4.64 %. On the other
hand, trial 2 has a percent error of 1.07 %, which is clearly more accurate compared to trial 1.
The high percent error in trial 1 could be attributed to inconsistent time intervals.

B. Freezing point depression constant for naphthalene

The measured freezing point of pure naphthalene in trial 2, which was 81.06 ℃, was
utilized to determine the freezing point depression constant for naphthalene. Figures 3 and 4
show the cooling curves of diphenylamine dissolved in naphthalene for trials 1 and 2,
respectively.

Figure 3. Cooling curve of diphenylamine dissolved in naphthalene for trial 1.

9
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion

Figure 4. Cooling curve of diphenylamine dissolved in naphthalene for trial 2.

The freezing point of the solution, which contained diphenylamine as a solute and
naphthalene as a solvent, was measured to be 77.35 °C in trial 1 and 77.92 °C in trial 2. The
freezing point was determined in the same manner as described in part A. The freezing point
depression constant Kf for naphthalene can now be calculated using the known values of the
freezing points of pure naphthalene and solution. The ΔT can be calculated by subtracting the
freezing point of the solution from the freezing point of the pure solvent. For trial 1, the
calculated ΔT was 3.71 ℃, while the calculated ΔT for trial 2 was 3.14 ℃. The molality (m)
of the solution can be determined using equation (2). Knowing that the mass of
diphenylamine was 0.1006 g and the mass of naphthalene was 4.9997 g, the molality of the
solution can be calculated by converting the masses of diphenylamine to moles and
naphthalene to kilograms, and then dividing the moles of diphenylamine by kilograms of
naphthalene. Therefore, the obtained molality of the solution was 0.1189 m. Since the ΔT and
m were already determined, the calculated K f in trial 1 and trial 2 were 31.18 ℃/m and 26.40
℃/m, respectively. An average constant Kf was determined to be 28.79 ℃/m. Compared to
the literature Kf value of 6.90 ℃/m (Yoder, 2023), the percent error for the average constant
Kf was found to be 317 %. A percent error would oftentimes go beyond 100 % if the
experimental value is twice the theoretical value. These errors arise due to many different
reasons and one of these are related to human errors.

10
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
C. Determination of the molar mass of an unknown compound
The obtained Kf value in part B was used to determine the molar mass of an unknown
compound. Figures 5 and 6 show the cooling curves of an unknown compound dissolved in
naphthalene for trials 1 and 2, respectively.

Figure 5. Cooling curve of an unknown compound dissolved in naphthalene for trial

1.

Figure 6. Cooling curve of an unknown compound dissolved in naphthalene for trial

2.
The freezing point of the solution, containing unknown compound as solute and
naphthalene as solvent, was measured the same way as described in part A. The freezing
point of the solution in trial 1 was measured to be 76.28 ℃. In trial 2, the measured freezing
point was 79.07 ℃. The difference in freezing points, ΔT, of pure naphthalene and that of
naphthalene solution in trial 1 was found to be 4.77 ℃. While in trial 2, the difference was
found to be 1.99 ℃. The obtained values of ΔT and K f were utilized to determine the

11
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
molality of the solute using equation (3). Using 4.77 ℃ as ΔT and the obtained K f value of
28.79 ℃/m,

11
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
the molality was found to be 0.1658 m. The molality of the solution was used to calculate the
number of moles solute.
Given that the solvent prepared in the experiment in part C was 4.9999 g, the mass is
converted to kilograms and then multiplied to the obtained value of the molality of the
solution to determine the number of moles solute. Multiplying the mass of the solvent to
0.1658 m, a value of 0.000829 mol was obtained. The obtained number of moles solute
enables the application of equation (4) to calculate the molar mass of the unknown
compound. Given that the obtained mass of the unknown compound was 0.1005 g and the
number of moles solute was 0.000829 mol, the molar mass of the unknown compound for
trial 1 was 121.22 g/mol. On the other hand, trial 2 obtained a molality of 0.0691 m.
Multiplying the mass of the solvent in kilograms to 0.0691 m would give a number of moles
solute of 0.000346 mol. Using this value, the molar mass of the unknown compound for trial
2 was found to be 287.82 g/mol. The identity of the unknown compound was found to be
benzoic acid which appears as a white crystalline solid and has a molar mass of 122.12 g/mol
(National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2023). Compared to the literature value,
trial 1 obtained a percent error of 0.74 %, whereas trial 2 obtained a percent error of 135.69
%. The findings are summarized in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Molar mass of the unknown compound for trials 1 and 2

Trial 1 Trial 2
Mass of Naphthalene (g) 4.9999
Mass of unknown
0.1005
compound (g)
Freezing Point (℃) 76.28 79.07
ΔT (℃) 4.77 1.99
Kf (℃/m) 28.79
m (mol/kg) 0.1658 0.0691
Mol solute (mol) 0.000829 0.000346
Molar mass (g/mol) 121.22 287.82
Percent error 0.74 % 135.69 %

As observed, there have been significant difference between molar masses in trial 1
and trial 2. The molar mass obtained in trial 1 gave a more accurate result compared to the
molar mass obtained in trial 2.

12
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion

D. Determination of heat of fusion of naphthalene

Solids can be heated to the point wherein the molecules holding their bonds together
can break apart and form a liquid. Converting solids to liquids is known as melting or heat of
fusion, and the enthalpy is positive. Conversely, when a substance transforms from liquid to
solid, the enthalpy is negative and it is better known as freezing (Hnojewyj, 2023). The heat
of fusion of naphthalene was determined using equation (5) above. The results showed that
the heat of fusion of naphthalene was found to be 4.64 kJ/mol. Comparing it to the
established value of heat of fusion of naphthalene, which is 19.0 kJ/ mol (Chirico et al.,
2002), gave a percent error of 75.58 %.

Based on the observation of the experiment, when dilute solutions began to freeze, the
solid crystals of the solvent would form at a lower temperature than they do when the pure
liquid solvent was cooled. This phenomenon is known as freezing point depression, which is
one of the colligative properties of solution, that depends only on the concentration of the
solute particles but not on its nature (Flowers et al., 2019). Colligative properties affect the
chemical potential of the solvent. Specifically, these properties stem from the reduction of the
chemical potential of the solvent as a result of the presence of the solute. The reduction of
chemical potential of the solvent indicates that the solid-liquid equilibrium occurs at a lower
temperature, thus the freezing point is depressed (Atkins & de Paula, 2006). The quantitative
expression of freezing point depression constant is directly proportional to the product of the
freezing point depression constant of the solvent, Kf and the molality. The constant Kf does
not depend on the nature of the solute, but it depends on the nature of the solvent. Moreover,
every solvent has its own unique freezing point depression constant (16.13: Freezing Point
Depression, 2022).

The ideal curve for freezing point of the pure solvent usually reaches a plateau at its
freezing point. The cooling curve for the solution, on the other hand, continues to decrease
slowly due to increasing concentration of the solution. However, there are certain
circumstances where the temperature continues to fall beyond the freezing point of the pure
solvent or the solution. This phenomenon is known as supercooling. Accordingly, as the solid
phase nucleates, the latent heat of fusion is liberated to the surroundings and the curve rises.

13
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
For some solutions, supercooling occurs inevitably due to the difficulty of separating the
solid

13
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
phase from the liquid phase (Hoare, 1960). Supercooling can be minimized by continuous
stirring of the solution (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2023).

The major source of error could have been attributed to the temperature recording
phase of the experiment. One possibility for this situation to happen is that one of the team
members might have misread the temperature of the substance being cooled. Discontinuous
stirring of the solutions when cooling could have resulted to inconsistency in the cooling
curves. Also, some solutions were not stirred upon cooling which could have affected the
freezing point of the solution. Another mode of error could have been attributed to the
thermometer used in the experiment.

14
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Conclusion
Conclusion

In conclusion, the purpose of this experiment was to determine the molar mass of the
unknown compound using cryoscopic method, wherein the depression of the freezing point is
determined. Additionally, the experiment aimed to determine the identity of the unknown
compound from calculated molar mass and determine the heat of fusion of naphthalene.

Colligative properties are based on the number of solute particles present in the
solution, not the chemical identity of the solute. One of the colligative properties is the
freezing point depression, in which the freezing point of the pure solvent become lower upon
adding a non-volatile solute in it. The freezing point depression method can be employed to
determine the molar mass of an unknown solute. The freezing point values of the pure solvent
and the solutions were measured using cooling curves obtained by recording temperature as a
function of time. The freezing point can be determined from the intersection point of the two
formed lines in the cooling curve. To find the freezing point, the two linear equations shown
in cooling curves were set equally to each other to find the independent variable x. The
measured x was then substituted to either of the two equations to determine the freezing point
of the pure solvent or the solution. From the modified freezing point depression equation, the
molar mass of the unknown solute in trial 1 was determined to be 121.22 g/mol which yields
a percent error of 0.74 %. On the other hand, it was found out experimentally that the
unknown solute had a molar mass of 287.82 g/mol yielding a percent error of 135.69 %. In
conclusion, the molar mass obtained in trial 1 is more accurate compared to the molar mass
obtained in trial 2. The identity of the unknown solute was found to be benzoic acid.
Meanwhile, the heat of fusion of the naphthalene was calculated to be 4.64 kJ/mol, with a
percent error of 75.58 %.

To minimize errors, it is recommended to perform calibration checks on each of the

devices that will be used in the experiment. Furthermore, proper temperature reading of the
substance would be advantageous in obtaining an accurate result. Lastly, stirring must be
performed continuously upon cooling the solution to evenly disperse the solute particles in
the solution while the latter reaches its freezing point.

Colligative property data can be useful in determining molecular weights of the

compounds especially those compounds with high molecular weight, such as polymers.

15
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Results and Discussion
However, colligative property data is usually not applicable for molecular weight
determinations for small molecules. According to studies, a mass spectrometer is a very

15
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Conclusion
accurate and precise alternative for determining molecular weights, especially for small
molecules. However, this instrument is very costly.

16
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
References
References
Atkins, P., & de Paula, J. (2006). Physical Chemistry. W. H. Freeman.
Banin, A., & Anderson, D. M. (1974). Effects of Salt Concentration Changes During
Freezing on the Unfrozen Water Content of Porous Materials. Water Resources
Research, 10(1), 124-128. 10.1029/wr010i001p00124
Bursten, B., Brown, T., Murphy, C., Woodward, P., Brown, T. L., Stoltzfus, M., & LeMay,
H. (2017). Chemistry: The Central Science. Pearson.
Chirico, R.D., Knipmeyer, S.E., & Steele, W.V. (2002). Heat capacities, enthalpy increments,
and derived thermodynamic functions for naphthalene between the temperatures 5K
and 440K. The Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics, 34(11), 1873-1884.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9614(02)00262-8
CK-12 Foundation. (2022, August 8). 16.13: Freezing Point Depression. Chemistry
LibreTexts. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemi
stry_(CK-12)/16%3A_Solutions/16.13%3A_Freezing_Point_Depression
Cruz, J. V. (n.d.). Molecular Weight Determination: Cryoscopic Method | Jonniel Vince
Cruz. Academia.edu. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from
https://www.academia.edu/76349162/Molecular_Weight_Determination_Cryoscopic_
Method
Flowers, P., Theopold, K., Langley, R., & Robinson, W. R. (2019). Colligative Properties. In
Chemistry 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/11-4-
colligative-properties
Hnojewyj, M. (2023, January 29). Heat of Fusion. Chemistry LibreTexts. Retrieved April 25,
2023, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbo
ok_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/
Thermodynamics/Energies_and_Potentials/Enthalpy/Heat_of_Fusion
Hoare, J. P. (1960). Freezing point measurement. Journal of Chemical Education, 37(3), 146.
10.1021/ed037p146
National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2023). PubChem Compound Summary for
CID 243, Benzoic Acid. PubChem. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benzoic-Acid
Royal Society of Chemistry. (2023). Supercooling and the energetics of freezing | Experiment
| RSC Education. RSC Education. Retrieved April 25, 2023, from
https://edu.rsc.org/experiments/supercooling-and-the-energetics-of-freezing/
390.article
16.13: Freezing Point Depression. (2022, August 8). Chemistry LibreTexts. Retrieved April
25, 2023, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemi
stry_(CK-12)/16%3A_Solutions/16.13%3A_Freezing_Point_Depression

17
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Conclusion
16.12: The Lowering of Vapor Pressure. (2022, August 8). Chemistry LibreTexts. Retrieved
April 19, 2023, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemi
stry_(CK-12)/16%3A_Solutions/16.12%3A_The_Lowering_of_Vapor_Pressure
Yoder, C. (2023). Molal Freezing and Boiling Point Data. Wired Chemist. Retrieved April
24, 2023, from https://www.wiredchemist.com/chemistry/data/molal-freezing-boiling

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Appendix
Appendix
Table 2. Temperature vs Time data for pure naphthalene

Trial 1 Trial 2
Time Temperature Time Temperature
0 89 0 88
30 84 20 84
60 81 40 81
90 80 60 80.5
110 80 80 80
130 80 100 80
150 80 120 80
170 79 140 80
190 79 160 80
210 79 180 80
230 79 200 80
250 79 220 79
270 79 240 79
290 79 260 79
310 78 280 79
330 78 300 79
350 78 320 78
370 78 340 78
390 77 360 77.5
410 76.5 380 77
430 73 400 76
450 70 420 76
470 67
490 64

Table 3. Temperature vs Time data for diphenylamine dissolved in naphthalene

Trial 1 Trial 2
Time
Temperature Temperature
0 88 84
20 81.5 80
40 80 79.5
60 78 78
80 77 77
100 77 77
120 76 77
140 76 77
160 75.5 77
180 75 77

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Appendix
200 75 76
220 74 76
240 74 76
260 74 75
280 74 75
300 73 75
320 73.5 74
340 72 74
360 71 74
380 71 73

Table 4. Temperature vs. time data for unknown compound dissolved in naphthalene

Trial 1 Trial 2
Time
Temperature Temperature
0 90 94
20 85 87
40 82 83
60 80 81
80 78 80
100 77 79
120 77 79
140 76 78
160 75.5 78
180 75 77.5
200 75 77
220 74 77
240 74 77
260 74 76.5
280 73.5 76
300 73 76
320 73 76
340 73 75
360 73 75
380 73 75
400 73 74.5
420 73 74
440 73 74
460 74
480 74
500 74

Computations in Part A

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Appendix
Freezing point determination in trial 1

Finding x:
−0.1 x+ 88=−0.0286 x+ 85.09
−0.1 x+ 0.0286 x=85.09−88
−0.0714 x =−2.91
−2.91
x= =40.76
−0.0714
Substituting x to one of the linear equations:
y=−0.1 ( 40.76 ) +88=83.92 ℃
Freezing point determination in trial 2
Finding x:
−0 .0975 x+ 86.6=−0. 0119 x+ 81.736
−0.0975 x +0.0119 x=81.736−86.6
−0. 0856 x=−4.864
−4.864
x= =56.82
−0.0856
Substituting x to one of the linear equations:
y=−0.0975 ( 56.82 )+ 86.6=81.06 ℃
Percent error in trial 1 and trial 2
Trial 1:
|80.20−83.92|
% error= × 100=4.64 %
80.20
Trial 2:
|80.20−81.06|
% error= ×100=1.07 %
80.20
Computations in Part B

Freezing point determination in trial 1

Finding x:
−0.1 275 x+ 86=−0.0191 x +78.647
−0.1275 x +0.0191 x=78.647−86
−0. 1084 x=−7.353

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Appendix
−7.353
x= =67.83
−0.1084
Substituting x to one of the linear equations:
y=−0.1275(67.83)+86=77.35 ℃
Freezing point determination in trial 2
Finding x:
−0.0 8 x +8 2.9=−0.0137 x +78.771
−0.08 x +0.0137 x=78.771−82.9
−0.0 663 x=−4 .129
−4.129
x= =62.28
−0.0663
Substituting x to one of the linear equations:
y=−0.08 ( 62.28 ) +82.9=77.92℃
Freezing point depression constant, Kf in trial 1

81.06−77.35
Kf = =31.20 ℃ /m
1 mol
0.1006 g ×
169.23 g
1 kg
4.9997 g ×
1000 g

Freezing point depression constant, Kf in trial 2

81.06−77. 92
Kf = =26.41 ℃/m
1 mol
0.1006 g ×
169.23 g
1 kg
4.9997 g ×
1000 g

Average of the constant Kf

31.20+26.41
Kf = =28.79 ℃/m
2

Percent Error in Trial 1 and trial 2

|6.90−28.79|
% error= × 100=317 %
6.9 0

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Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Appendix

Computation in Part C

Freezing point determination in trial 1

Finding x:
−0.1275 x +8 8.286=−0.01 21 x+ 7 7 . 441
−0.1275 x +0.0121 x=77.441−88.286
−0.1 154 x=−10.845
−10.845
x= =93.98
−0.1154
Substituting x to one of the linear equations:
y=−0.1275(93.98)+88.286=76.28 ℃

Freezing point determination in trial 2

Finding x:
−0. 14 x +91=−0.0146 x +80.311
−0.14 x +0.0146 x=80.311−91
−0. 1254 x=−10.689
−10.689
x= =62.28
−0.1254
Substituting x to one of the linear equations:
y=−0.14(62.28)+ 91=7 9.07 ℃
Determining molality of the solute in trial 1

81.06 ℃−76.28 ℃
m= =0.1658 m
28.79 ℃ /m

Determining molality of the solute in trial 2

81.06 ℃−79.07 ℃
m= =0.0691 m
28.79 ℃ /m

Determining Molar Mass of the unknown compound

Trial 1:

23
Molar Mass by Freezing Point Depression
Appendix
0.1005 g
MM= =121.22 g /mol
( 4.9999 ×10 kg ) × 0.1658 mol
−3
kg

Trial 2:

0.1005 g
MM= =287.82 g/mol
( 4.9999 ×10−3 kg ) × 0.0691 mol
kg

Percent Error in Trial 1 and Trial 2

Trial 1:

|122.12−121.22|
% error= ×100=0.74 %
122.12
Trial 2:
|122.12−287.82|
% error= ×100=135.69 %
122.12

Computation in Part D

Calculation of heat of fusion of naphthalene

g 1 kg J 2
(128.1705 × )(8.314 )(81.06 ℃+273.15)
mol 1000 g mol ∙ K J
Δ fus H = =4643.848786
K ∙ kg mol
(28.79 )
mol

Converting J/mol to kJ/mol

J 1 kJ kJ
Δ fus H =4643.848786 × =4.64
mol 1000 J mol

Percent error

|19.0−4.64|
% error= ×100=7 5.58 %
19.0

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