Colligative Properties

Colligative Properties
• Depend on the number of particles in
solution not on the type of particles
–Doesn’t matter what kind of
particles: can be ions or molecules
–Concentration of particles does
matter
 What are some colligative
properties?
• Vapor Pressure Lowering
• Freezing Point Depression
• Boiling Point Elevation

• The higher the concentration of solute

particles, the larger the effect
• Colligative properties are influenced by the
extent of dissociation of the solute in
solution.

• Dissociation- occurs when neutral

combinations of particles separate
into ions while in aqueous solution.
Does it matter if the solute is ionic
or covalent?
• number of particles will vary
• Ionic solutes
– dissolve to produce (+) & (-) ions → more
particles per mole of solute
• Covalent solutes
– 1-to-1 relationship between moles of solute
and moles of dissolved particles
 C6H12O6
• Covalent
• Dissolves as molecules
• C6H12O6(s) → C6H12O6(aq)
• 1 mole sugar → 1 mole molecules
 NaCl
• Ionic
• Dissolves as ions
• NaCl(s) → Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
• 1 mole salt → 2 moles ions
 MgCl2
• Ionic
• Dissolves as ions
• MgCl2(s) → Mg2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq)
• 1 mole salt → 3 moles ions
• Since colligative properties depend on the
number of solute particles in solution,
electrolytes (particles that ionize in a
solution) have a greater effect on the
lowering of vapor pressure and freezing
point, increase in the boiling point and on
osmotic pressure.
 Vapor Pressure Lowering
• The vapor pressure of a solution with a
nonvolatile (can easily evaporate) solute is
always lower than that of the pure solvent.
The relationship between the vapor
pressure of the solution and the vapor
pressure of the solvent depends on the
concentration of the solute in the solution.
Vapor Pressure Lowering
• This relationship is expressed as Raoult’s
law, which states that the vapor pressure of
a solvent over a solution (P solvent) is
equal to the product of the vapor pressure
of the pure solvent (P° solvent) and the
mole fraction of the solvent in the solution
(x solvent). In expression,
• P solvent = x solvent P° solvent
 Freezing Point Depression and
Boiling Point Elevation
• Depending on what the solvent is, one mole
of any nonelectrolyte will lower the freezing
point of a given amount of solvent by a
constant amount referred to as the freezing
point depression constant (Kf) also termed
cryoscopic constant
 Osmosis and Osmotic Pressure
• Osmosis is a process through which a solvent flow
through a semipermeable membrane from less
concentrated solution to a more concentrated one.
• A semipermeable membrane is a selectively porous
material: that is, it only allows certain substances to pass
through it.
 Osmotic Pressure
• is the amount of pressure required to stop
osmosis. Two solutions having the same
osmotic pressure are said to be isotonic.
Solution with higher osmotic pressure is
hypertonic and solution with lower osmotic
pressure is hypotonic
As a solute is added to a solvent, what
happens to the freezing point & the
boiling point of the solution?
1) The freezing point ↓ & the boiling point ↓

2) The freezing point ↓ & the boiling point ↑

3) The freezing point ↑ & the boiling point ↓

4) The freezing point ↑ & the boiling point ↑

Which solution containing 1 mole of
solute dissolved in 1000 g of water has
the lowest freezing point?
1) C2H5OH(aq) Be careful! What
if the question
asked which
1) NaCl(aq) solution has the
highest freezing
1) KOH point?

4) CaCl2
Which solute, when added to 1000 g of
water, will produce a solution with the
highest boiling point?

1) 29 g of NaCl

2) 58 g of NaCl 1 mole of NaCl →

2 moles of ions

3) 31 g of C2H6O2

4) 62 g of C2H6O2 1 mole of C2H6O2 →

1 mole of molecules
 Which solution will freeze at the lowest
temperature?
1) 1 g of NaCl dissolved per 100 g of H2O

__1 g____ = 0.017 mol → 0.034 mol of ions

58.8 g/mol

2) 1 g of C12H22O11 dissolved per 100 g of H2O

__1 g___ = 0.0043 mol of molecules

232 g mol
 Effect of Nonvolatile Solute
• Boiling Point Elevation

• Freezing Point Depression

• The more particles, the bigger the

effect!
 Applications of colligative
properties
• Salting roads in the winter time

• Using salted ice to make ice cream