CH116L PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 1 LABORATORY

1st Quarterm SY 2019-2020

Colligative Properties of Solutions (Experiment 1)

De Jesus, Medarlo1, Belmonte, Bianca Lou, F.2

1Professor, Mapúa Chemical, Biological, Materials and Engineering Sciences Department, Mapúa University; 2Student, CH116L/A10, Mapúa Chemical,
Biological, Materials and Engineering Sciences Department, Mapúa University

ABSTRACT

Solutions have varying properties that are reliant on different factors. Some properties are dependent on the nature
of the solute to be added to the solution. While the colligative properties of solutions are dependent only to the
amount or concentration of solute present in a solution with no regards of its nature. Examples of these colligative
properties are vapor pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression and osmotic pressure.
Knowledge on the prior properties said is vital in the application and production in various industries. By the end of
the experiment, the group managed to demonstrate the colligative properties of a solution, more specifically the
boiling point elevation and freezing point depression in this experiment. The researchers were also able to
understand and compare the properties of electrolyte and nonelectrolyte in a solution. The knowledge about the
effects of adding electrolytes and non-electrolytes on solution and the mathematical definitions of each colligative
property has aided the group in understanding the colligative properties of solutions.

Keywords: colligative properties, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, nonelectrolyte solutes, nonvolatile solutes, electrolyte
solutes, van’t Hoff correction factor

INTRODUCTION

Solutions are present in everyday life. It comes in the form of
salt water, rubbing alcohol, bleach and many more. These
solutions are defined as homogenous mixtures which are
made up of solutes and solvents. Solutes are substances to
be dissolved while solvents are the substances that dissolve.
In the case of salt water or salt solution, which would be
further used in the next pages, salt is the solute and water
no regards of its nature. These colligative properties are
vapor pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing
point depression and osmotic pressure. Knowledge on the
prior properties said is vital in the application and production
in various industries.
Through-out the discussion and experiment on colligative

are the solvent.
Solutions have varying properties that are reliant on different
factors. Some properties are dependent on the nature of the
solute to be added to the solution. Examples of these natures
are a solution’s density, viscosity, acidity and basicity. While
there are properties dependent on chemical identity, the
colligative properties of solutions are dependent only to the
amount or concentration of solute present in a solution with
properties, the terms electrolyte, nonelectrolyte, volatile and
non-volatile are frequently used in analysing solutes in
colligative properties. The electrolyte and non-electrolyte
non-volatile solutes behave differently from each other
especially in the analysing colligative properties of solutions.
Hence, before going in depth to the properties, the prior
terms must be defined. Electrolytes are salts or molecules
that completely ionize in the solution. With that, electrolyte
solutions can conduct electricity. On a different note,

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1st Quarterm SY 2019-2020
nonelectrolytes are the complete opposite of an electrolyte’s
description. While volatility refers to how easily a solute turn
to vapor. In essence, a volatile solute can then easily
vaporize. This then makes non-volatile solutes as
substances that don’t vaporize easily and have relatively
higher boiling points. In short, non-volatile solutes have low
or non-existent vapor pressure which doesn’t allow the solute
to vaporize when mixed into a solution.
With the terms out of the way, its time to define the different
colligative properties and how the addition of nonelectrolyte
non-volatile solutes affects the whole solution. To start off,
vapor pressure is a liquid property related to evaporation. It
is defined as the pressure formed by the vapor of liquid over
the surface of the liquid. The addition of non-volatile solutes
to a solution then leads to the lowering rate of evaporation
which is then results to lower vapor pressure as well.
Boiling point on the other hand is the temperature at which
the vapor pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure. The
addition of non-volatile solutes which results to lowered
vapor pressure that causes boiling point elevation.
While freezing point of a liquid refers to the temperature at
which the vapor pressure is equal to the solid into which it
freezes. Since non-volatile solutes lower vapor pressure,
freezing point depression follows.
Osmosis refers to the flow of solvent molecules from a point
of low concentration to high concentration through a semi-
permeable membrane. The pressure exerted to prevent
osmosis is called osmotic pressure. Like the previous
properties defined, addition of non-volatile solutes affects the
osmotic pressure value.
Experiment 01│ Group No. 8│ August 27, 2019
The colligative properties vapor pressure lowering, boiling
point elevation, freezing point depression and osmotic
pressure can then be understood and analysed by the use of
mathematical expressions that will be used on the latter part
of the paper.
There is, however, a deviation for the addition of electrolytic
solutes to solutions. van’t Hoff introduced the factor i, to
represent the colligative properties of electrolytes by its
relation to nonelectrolytes. The factor is a measure of
deviation from ideal behaviour. It is worth noting here that,
addition of soluble electrolytes has more significant effect on
the colligative property of the solution than of a
nonelectrolyte solute due to the ionization of the electrolyte.
As characterized by the Debye-Huckle theory, the deviation
is due to inter ionic attraction that decreases the
concentration of ions.
OBJECTIVES
With all the said, the experiment aimed to demonstrate the
colligative properties of a solution, compare the colligative
properties of nonelectrolyte and electrolyte, calculate the
van’t Hoff factor i for NaCl solution at a given temperature,
and; Determine the molar mass of a non-volatile
nonelectrolyte solute from boing point elevation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this experiment, the group only tested for the boiling point
elevation and freezing point depression. The reagents used
for both parts of the experiment were 60 mL of 1.0 m sugar
solution, 60 mL of 1.0 m NaCl solution 60 mL of distilled
water, salt and ice.
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 CH116L PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 1 LABORATORY
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The apparatuses used for the whole experiment were test
tubes, round bottom flask, wire gauze, iron clamp, iron ring,
iron stand, Bunsen burner, cork stoppers, beaker, test tube
rack, 50- and 10-mL graduated cylinders, a regular
thermometer and thermometers that can read below 0°C.
I. Boiling point elevation
For the determination of boiling point elevation, the students
first prepared the set up to be used. The set up consists of a
Bunsen burner on the iron stand and an iron ring just above
the burner. The set-up is then completed by putting the wire
gauze over the iron ring.
tubes. They then covered it with cork stoppers with holes on
top. After that they inserted thermometers that can read
below 0°C in the holes while making sure that the
thermometer bulb is submerged to the solution. The group
then placed the test tubes to a beaker full of ice with some
NaCl spread over it and waited till the solutions’ temperature
lowered. It is worth noting to mind the time lapse the test
tubes were submerged and the temperature it read. Since
solutions can over-freeze and have lower temperatures over
time, it is important to note the temperature that lasted for the
longest time with no change because that point would be the
valid freezing point.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

With the set up in place, they measured and transferred 50
mL of water to the round bottom flask and covered it with a In determining the boiling point elevation, these results were
cork stopper with a hole on top. They then inserted the acquired. The computation for the values on column ΔTb
thermometer to the hole; submerging the thermometer bulb (°C) is seen in the appendix of the paper.
to the water but not touching the glass itself. After that, they
attached the round bottom flask with thermometer to an iron Table 1. Boiling point elevation data
clamp and clipped the clamp to the stand while making sure
that the flask is on the wire gauze. Liquid Concentration Boiling ΔTb (°C)
point (°C)
The researchers heated the water till it boiled and then Water Pure 100 -
recorded its boiling temperature. After documenting, the Sugar 1.0 molal 106 6
researchers discarded that water and prepared 50 mL of 1.0 solution
m sugar to be tested next. The same procedure was applied NaCl 1.0 molal 106 6
for the determination of boiling points for both 50 mL of 1.0 solution
m sugar solution and 50 mL of 1.0 m NaCl solution.
While the group acquired these results for the freezing point
II. Freezing point lowering lowering. The computation for the value on column ΔTf (°C)
is seen in the appendix of the paper.
After recording boiling points, the researchers proceeded to
the determination of freezing point lowering. The group Table 2. Freezing point lowering data
measured and transferred 10 mL of distilled water, 1.0 m
sugar solution and 1.0 m NaCl solution to three separate test

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 CH116L PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 1 LABORATORY
1st Quarterm SY 2019-2020

Liquid Concentration Melting ΔTf (°C) The experiment however ended till the testing for boiling
point (°C) point elevation and freezing point depression, making the
Water Pure 0 - other objectives like calculating the van’t Hoff factor i for NaCl
Sugar 1.0 molal -3 3 solution at a given temperature, and determining the molar
solution mass of a non-volatile nonelectrolyte solute from boing point
NaCl 1.0 molal -4 4 elevation remain unmet. The knowledge about the effect of
solution adding electrolytes and non-electrolytes on solution has
aided the group in understanding the colligative properties of
On another hand, the calculated van’t Hoff correction factor solutions. The experiment also reminded the group about the
(i) for the boiling point elevation is i = 1. While the calculated importance of proper execution, observation and acquisition
correction factor for freezing point lowering was i = 1.33. The of data in gathering accurate and precise data that can be
calculation for this factor can also be seen in the appendix. related to the underlying theory about colligative properties.

Upon looking at the data acquired, it can be concluded that RECOMMENDATIONS

most of the boiling point and melting point data were correct
and precise with regards to the expected characteristic of The researchers recommend future researchers to study the
electrolytes and nonelectrolytes. However, the value procedure and practice precision and cautiousness in
acquired for the boiling point for the sugar solution is observing the solutions to avoid mistakes that might cause
questionable since the theory suggests that nonelectrolyte inaccurate data.
solutions always have significantly lower value than
APPENDICES
electrolyte solutions specially when both are of same
concentration. This error has then affected the correction Sample calculations
factor calculated for the boiling point. The high boiling point
Boiling point elevation calculation
and low freezing point of the NaCl solution can be attributed
to the solution being an electrolyte. While the boiling and 𝛥𝑇𝑏 = 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇𝑏°
freezing point values for the sugar solution are can be
Where ΔTb – boiling point elevation
attributed to it being a nonelectrolyte.
Tb – boiling point of the solution
CONCLUSION
Tb° - boiling point of the pure solvent
All in all, the group managed to demonstrate the colligative
𝛥𝑇𝑏 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 = 100°𝐶 − 106°𝐶
properties of a solution, more specifically the boiling point
elevation and freezing point depression in this experiment. = 6°C

The researchers were also able to understand and compare

the properties of electrolyte and nonelectrolyte in a solution.
Freezing point depression calculation

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 CH116L PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 1 LABORATORY
1st Quarterm SY 2019-2020

𝛥𝑇𝑓 = 𝑇𝑓° − 𝑇𝑓

Where ΔTf – freezing point depression

Tf – freezing point of the solution

Tf° - freezing point of the pure solvent

𝛥𝑇𝑓 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 = 0°𝐶 – (−4) °𝐶

= 4°C

Boiling point elevation correction factor

𝑇𝑏 (𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑡𝑒) ΔTb Nacl

𝑖 = 𝑇𝑏 (𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑡𝑒) = ΔTb Sugar

ΔTb Nacl 6
𝑖= = =1
ΔTb Sugar 6

Freezing point depression correction factor

𝑇𝑓 (𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑡𝑒) ΔTf Nacl

𝑖 = 𝑇𝑓 (𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑡𝑒) = ΔTf Sugar

ΔTf Nacl 4
𝑖= = = 1.33
ΔTf Sugar 3

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