Colligative Properties of

Solutions
 The properties of a solution differ from that of
the pure solvent. Properties that depend solely
on the number of particles of solute present but
not on the kind and nature of solute are called
colligative properties. The colligative
properties depend on the amount of the solute
and not on their chemical identities.
 Since a nonelectrolyte solute does not
ionize in solution, the number of solute
particles will be less in a solution
containing nonelectrolyte solute than in a
solution containing an electrolyte solute.
Therefore, the effect of an electrolyte
solute will be greater than a nonelectrolyte
solute in a solution.
 Colligative Properties
 Colligative Property: A property that
depends only upon the number of solute
particles (concentration), and NOT upon
their identity.
 Four Important Colligative Properties of
Solutions.
 Vapor-pressure lowering
 Boiling-point elevation
 Freezing-point depression
 Osmotic Pressure
 Vapor-Pressure Lowering
 Vapor pressure: is the
pressure exerted by a
vapor that is in dynamic
equilibrium with its liquid
(molecules are moving
back and forth between
liquid and vapor phases)  This is true because in
 A solution that contains a a solution, solute
solute that is not easily particles reduce the
vaporized always has a number of free solvent
lower vapor pressure than particles able to escape
the pure solvent. the liquid.
 Vapor-Pressure Lowering

 The decrease in a solution’s vapor

pressure is proportional to the number of
particles the solute makes in solution.
 The fast moving molecules of a liquid overcome their
attractive forces and escape into the gaseous state in a
process called vaporization. The vapour collides with the
walls of the container and gives rise to vapour pressure.
In an open container, the process continues and the
water level decreases. But in a closed container, these
molecules that have escaped can also return back into
the liquid state called condensation. When the rate of
condensation becomes equal to the rate of vaporization,
an equilibrium is reached.
The figure (left) shows an open container with fast moving molecules escaping into
gaseous state. The vapour collides with the walls of the container giving rise to
vapour pressure; (right) shows the vapour going back to the liquid state in
condensation, Equilibrium is reached when the rate of evaporation is equal to the
rate of condensation.
 A substance that evaporates readily is called volatile. If
the liquid is volatile, the escaping tendency of the
molecules is high and the vapour pressure is high. On
the other hand, a non-volatile substance has a low
vapour pressure because it has a low escaping
tendency.
 If a non-volatile solute is dissolved in water, the solute
molecules take up space at the surface and thus
preventing the escape of the solvent molecules.
 Also, in a solution, the interaction, between the solute
and the solvent is greater than the solvent-solvent
interaction thus, making it more difficult for the molecules
to escape. The vapour pressure of the solution becomes
lower than that of the pure solvent.
 The greater the concentration of solute present, the
greater the vapour pressure reduction is. And since the
number of solute particles is greater in a solution
containing an electrolyte solute, then the vapour pressure
of a solution containing an electrolyte solute will be lower
than the vapour pressure of a solution containing a
nonelectrolyte solute.
 Think about this

Why do people in cold places

spread SALT on the roads in the
winter?
 Freezing-Point Depression
 Freezing-Point Depression: The difference
in temperature between the freezing point
of a solution and the freezing point of the
pure solvent (water).
 The presence of a solute in water disrupts the
formation of the orderly pattern of ice.
Therefore more kinetic energy must be
withdrawn from a solution than from the pure
solvent to cause the solution to solidify.
Freezing-Point Depression
 Freezing-Point Depression
 The magnitude of the
freezing-point depression
is proportional to the
number of solute particles
dissolved in the solvent
and does not depend upon
their identity.
 Which would be a better
salt for putting on icy roads,
NaCl or CaCl2?
 The freezing point of a substance is the temperature at
which the solid and liquid phases coexist and their
vapour pressures are the same. If a non-volatile solute is
added to a solvent, the freezing point of the solvent is
lowered and the reduction in the freezing point depends
on the number of moles of solute present.

 Again, the effect of electrolytes as solutes is greater

than nonelectrolytes because electrolytes ionize in
solution and as such contain a greater number of
particles. The greater the number of solute particles, the
greater the effect on the reduction of the freezing point.
 Boiling-Point Elevation
 Boiling Point: The temperature at
which the vapor pressure of the
liquid phase equals atmospheric
pressure.
 Because of the decrease in vapor
pressure, additional kinetic energy
must be added to raise the vapor
pressure of the liquid phase of the
solution to atmospheric pressure to
initiate boiling.
Boiling-Point Elevation

 Boiling-Point Elevation: The

difference in temperature
between the boiling point of
a solution and the boiling
point of the pure solvent.
 The boiling point of a solution
is higher than the boiling
point of the pure solvent.
 Boiling-Point Elevation
 The magnitude of the
boiling-point elevation is
proportional to the
number of solute
particles dissolved in the
solvent.
 It takes additional kinetic
energy for the solvent
particles to overcome the
attractive forces that
keep them in the liquid.
 Boiling-Point Elevation

The water molecules are

attracted to ions in solution,
the ions “hold” the water
molecules down instead of
allowing them to be released
into the vapor phase. The
water molecules need more
energy to “escape” from the
ions in solution!
 What happened?

Conc. dillute

Initial Final

What conditions exist when the equilibrium point is

reached and no further change in the volumes occurs?
 The boiling point is the temperature at which the vapour
pressure of a liquid is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
If a liquid has a high vapour pressure it means that the
molecules evaporate faster and it takes a shorter time to
equalize the vapour pressure of the liquid and the
atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the boiling point of the
liquid is low.
 The boiling point of pure water is 100°C. Sea water,
however, does not boil at this temperature but at a
higher temperature. In the same manner, the burn
caused by boiling syrup is more severe than a burn
caused by boiling water because the boiling point of
syrup is higher than that of pure water.
 This is because the interaction of the solute-solvent in a
solution is greater than the interaction of the solvent-
solvent in a pure solvent or solute-solute in a pure
solute.
 Since the vapour pressure is lower in solutions as
discussed previously, it takes a longer time to equalize
the vapour pressure of the liquid and the atmospheric
pressure. Thus, it takes a higher temperature to attain
the boiling point of a solution. The boiling point of a
solution, therefore is greater than the boiling point of a
pure solvent.
 Osmotic Pressure
 Osmosis is the movement of solvent through a
semipermeable membrane from a region of low
concentration to a region of high concentration. A
semipermeable membrane allows the passage of only
certain molecules. In the case of osmosis, a
semipermeable membrane allows the passage of solvent
but not the solute.
 If the semipermeable membrane is placed in between
two solution of different concentrations, the solvent will
flow from a region of the less concentrated solution to
the more concentrated solution. The movement of the
solvent continues until the concentration on both sides
are the same.
This shows the process of osmosis. The solution with different
concentrations are separated by a semipermeable membrane. The
solvent moves from the more concentrated solution to the less
concentrated solution
 The osmotic pressure is the pressure needed to prevent
osmosis. The osmotic pressure will be applied to the
more concentrated solution so that the solvent flows
from the more concentrated solution to the less
concentrated solution. This is called reverse osmosis
which is a process applied in the purification of water.