FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

LABORATORY REPORT

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
(CHM 431)

Title of Experiment Freezing Point Depression And Molar Mass

Determination

No. Experiment 5

Name of student Ernie Najwa Najihah Binti Faidi

Student ID number 2017283562

Programme code AS246

Partner’s name Syeril Nurfatihah Binti Suhaimi

Date of experiment is done 11th April 2018

Date of lab report is submitted 6th May 2018

Lecturer’s name Dr. Noraini Binti Hamzah

Instructor’s name Erma Hafiza

INTRODUCTION
The temperature at which the solid first forms from the solution is lower than the
freezing point of the pure liquid solvent. Furthermore, this freezing point does not remains
constant, it slowly falls as more solid forms since in most cases solvent is the first substance to
freeze, leaving the remaining solution proportionately richer in solute.
Sometimes as a liquid or solution is cooled towards its freezing point the temperature will
actually drop below the freezing point before any phase change occurs. This behavior is
enhanced by very clean or new equipment which lacks scratches or other irregularities that
serve as sites for crystallization to begin. Vigorous stirring will eventually overcome any
tendency to supercool in a mixture.
In an ideal solution where there is no interactions among particles, there is a nearly
linear relationship between the concentration of the solution, expressed in molality and the drop
in the freezing point:
ΔTf = Kf m
y =mx+b
Where the y – intercept, b, must be 0 since a pure solvent with a solute molality of 0
would have no change in freezing point. And thus a plot of the change in the freezing point of
various mixtures of some known solute and water compared to that of pure water versus the
molality of the mixtures will yield a nearly straight line with a slope of Kf.

OBJECTIVES
1. To determine freezing point depression of a solution and molar freezing point constant
of the solvent.
2. To obtain the molar mass of a solute.

APPARATUS
1. Boiling tubes
2. Thermometer
3. Conical flask
4. Stopwatch
5. Weighing boat
6. Water bath
7. Analytical balance
 8. Retort stand and clamp

CHEMICALS
1. Naphthalene, C10H8
2. 1, 4 – dichlorobenzene, C6H4Cl2
3. p – nitrotoluene, C7H7NO2

PROCEDURE
A. Determination Of Freezing Point Of Naphthalene
5g of naphthalene was weighed to the nearest 0.01g and was added to a clean and dry
boiling tube. It is then was melted completely in the water bath. The rubber stopper containing
the thermometer and copper wire was inserted into the boiling tube. The bulb of the
thermometer was make sure is immersed in the molten naphthalene and the copper wire can
agitated freely by moving it up and down to have a uniform temperature throughout the sample.
The tube was next took out from the water bath once the temperature of the naphthalene reached
90ºC. The clamp was used to set the tube vertically in the conical flask. Once the temperature
of naphthalene has dropped to 90ºC, the temperature was recorded every 30 seconds to the
nearest 0.1ºC, until it has dropped to about 60ºC. The naphthalene would froze in this
temperature range. Keeping the naphthalene for part B, the cooling curve, temperature versus
time was drawn and the freezing point of the naphthalene was determined.

B. Determination Of Kf For Naphthalene

0.5g of 1,4 – dichlorobenzene was weighed to the nearest 0.01g and was added to the
boiling tube containing the naphthalene. The steps in part A was repeated, melting the
naphthalene into the water bath until the temperature was recorded until it reached 60ºC. Once
the mixture has solidified, it was then melted in the hot water bath and the solution is discarded
in the waste container. The cooling curve was then drawn and the freezing point of the
naphthalene – 1,4 – dichlorobenzene mixture was determined.

C. Determination Of Freezing Point Of P – Nitrotoluene

5g of naphthalene was weighed to the nearest 0.01g and was added to a clean and dry
boiling tube. 1g of p – nitrotoluene was then weighed to the nearest 0.01g and was added into
the tube containing the naphthalene. The steps in A was next repeated, by melting the mixture
into the water bath until the temperature was recorded. Once the mixture has solidified, it was
then melted in the hot water bath and was then discarded in the waste container. The cooling
curve was then drawn and the freezing point was determined.

RESULTS
A. Determination Of Freezing Point Of Naphthalene
1. mass of naphthalene (g) 5.0109 g
2. freezing point of naphthalene from cooling curve (ºC) 79.5ºC

B. Determination Of Kf For Naphthalene

1. mass of 1,4 – dichlorobenzene (g) 0.5087 g
2. freezing point of solution from cooling curve (ºC) 73ºC

C. Determination Of Freezing Point Of P – Nitrotoluene Solution.

1. Mass of naphthalene (g) 5.0036 g
2. Mass of p – nitrotoluene (g) 1.0011 g
3. Freezing point of solution from cooling curve (ºC) 71ºC
Naphthalene Naphthalene + 1,4 - Naphthalene + P –
Dichlorobenzene Nitrotoluene
Initial Initial Initial
Temperatur 92ºc Temperatur 90ºc Temperatur 93ºc
e e e

Time (s) Temperatur Time (s) Temperatur Time (s) Temperatur

e (ºC) e (ºC) e (ºC)
30 83 30 80 30 84
60 81 60 78 60 80
90 80 90 78 90 75
120 79.5 120 75 120 73
150 79.5 150 74 150 72
180 79.5 180 73 180 71
210 79.5 210 73 210 71
240 79.5 240 73 240 71
270 79.5 270 73 270 71
300 79.5 300 73 300 71
330 79 330 73 330 70
360 79 360 73 360 70
390 79 390 73 390 70
420 79 420 73 420 69
450 79 450 73 450 69
480 79 480 73 480 68
510 79 510 73 510 68
540 79 540 73 540 68
DISCUSSION
Freezing point dispersion constant, Kf for naphthalene
ΔTf = 𝐾𝑓 × 𝑚
𝛥𝑇𝑓
Kf =
𝑚
ΔTf = freezing point of pure naphthalene – freezing point of solution
=79ºC – 73ºC
= 6ºC

𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
Molality, m =
𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 1,4−𝑑𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑒
=[ ] ÷ 𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 1,4−𝑑𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑒

= (0.5087 ÷ 147) ÷ 0.00501

=0.68 mol/kg

ΔTf = 𝐾𝑓 × 𝑚
𝛥𝑇𝑓
Kf =
𝑚
Kf = 6 ÷ 0.68
=8.82

𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙−𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙
Percentage error = x 100
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
6.94−8.82
= x 100
6.94
= 27 %

Molar mass of p – nitrotoluene

ΔTf = 79 – 71
= 8ºC
𝛥𝑇𝑓
Molality, m =
𝐾𝑓
= 8 ÷ 8.82
= 0.91 mol/kg
𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
Molality, m =
𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 1,4−𝑑𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑒
=[ ] ÷ 𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 1,4−𝑑𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑒

𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
0.91 mol / kg =
0.0050036 𝑘𝑔
mol of solute = 0.91 mol ÷ 0.0050036
= 0.0045 mol

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
Moles of solute =
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
Molar mass = 1.0011 ÷ 0.0045
= 222.47 g/mol

𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙−𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙
Percentage error = x 100
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
137.14 − 222.47
= x 100
137.14
= 62%

CONCLUSION
This experiment was conducted to determine the freezing point depression of a solution and
the molar freezing point constant of the solvent which were found to be 6ºC and 8.82ºC
respectively. This study was also being experimented to obtain the molar mass of the solute
which was found to be222.47 g/mol with 62% percentage error. The objective of this
experiment was successfully achieved.

QUESTIONS
1. Supercooling happens when a solution momentarily drops below its freezing point,
and then warms up again before solidification. What event is likely to give rise to
supercooling?
Supercooling is the process of chilling a liquid below its freezing point, without it
becoming solidified. A liquid below its freezing point will crystallize in the presence
of a seed crystal or nucleus around which a crystal structure can form. However, the
liquid can be maintained all the way down to the temperature at which homogeneous
 nucleation occurs if it lacking any such nucleus. The homogeneous nucleation can occur
above the glass transition where the system is an amorphous.

2. A 0.5g sample of a non – volatile solute dissolves in 10.0g of acetic acid. The
freezing point of the solution is 15.9ºC. (Kf of acetic acid is 3.9ºC kg mol-1 and
freezing point is 17ºC)
a) What is the molality of the solute in the solution?
ΔTf =17ºC – 15.9ºC
= 1.1ºC
𝛥𝑇𝑓
Molality, m =
𝐾𝑓
=1.1ºC ÷ 3.9ºC kg/mol-1
=0.282 kg/mol-1

b) Calculate the molar mass of the solute.

𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
Molality, m =
𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
=[ ] ÷ 𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒

𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
0.282 mol / kg =
0.01 𝑘𝑔
mol of solute = 0.282 mol ÷ 0.01
= 28.2 mol

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
Moles of solute =
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
Molar mass = 0.5 ÷ 28.2
= 0.0177 g/mol

c) The same mass of solute is dissolved in 10g of t-butanol instead of acetic

acid.
What is the expected freezing point change of the solution?
(Kf of t-butanol is 9.1ºC kgmol-1 and freezing point is 25.5ºC)
𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
Molality, m =
𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
=[ ] ÷ 𝑘𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
0.5 𝑔
=[ ] ÷ 0.01𝑘𝑔
0.0177 𝑔/𝑚𝑜𝑙

=0.885 mol/kg

𝛥𝑇𝑓
Molality, m =
𝐾𝑓
ΔTf =0.885 mol/kg x 9.1 ºC/mol-1
=8.0535ºC
Expected freezing point change = 25.5ºC – 8.0535ºC
= 17.45ºC

REFERENCES
1. http://studylib.net/doc/7718569/colligative-properties-of-solutions-
2. https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/supercooling.htm
3. http://www.chemtopics.com/unit08/fpdepres.pdf
4. http://www.hazwastehelp.org/educators/documents/masste.pdf