--%>

Explain vapour pressure of liquid solutions.

Liquid solutions are obtained when the solvent is liquid. The solute can be a gas, liquid or a solid. In this section we will discuss the liquid solutions containing solid or liquid solutes. In such solutions the solute may or may not be volatile. We shall limit our discussion to the binary solution of the solid in liquid and liquid in liquid. Before we discuss the properties of these solution let us study about the vapour pressure of liquid.

When a liquid is taken in a beaker covered from above at certain temperature, a part of the liquid evaporates and its vapours fill the space available to them. The vapours formed will have an inclination to change back to its liquid state by the procedure of condensation. Gradually, equilibrium will be established between liquid and vapour phases. The pressure exerted by the vapours above the liquid surface in equilibrium with the liquid surface in equilibrium with the liquid at a given temperature is called vapour pressure of the liquid.

The vapour pressure of a liquid depends on Nature of liquid

Liquid which have weak intermolecular forces, are volatile and have greater vapour pressure. For instance, dimethyl ether has higher vapour pressure than ethyl alcohol.
    
Temperature 

Vapour pressure increases with the increase in temperature. This is due to the increase in temperature through which more molecules of the liquid can go into vapour phase.

The variation of vapour pressure of a liquid with temperature is given by the Claussius Clapeyron's equation.

2181_Liquid pressure.png   where, p1 and p2 are vapour pressures at temperature T1 and T2 respectively. Δvap.H is enthalpy of vaporization of liquid and R is universal gas constant.

Vapour pressure of the solution of solids in liquids

Let us consider the addition of a small amount of non-volatile solute such as glucose, sucrose, sodium chloride etc. to the liquid (solvent such as water) to form a solution. In such a case the vapour pressure of the solution is solely due to the solvent, as the solute is non-volatile. It is found that the vapour pressure of the solution is lower than that of the pure solvent.

Explanation: the lowering of vapour pressure can be explained on the basis of the surface area of the liquid from which evaporation occurs. In the case of the solution, a part of the liquid surface is occupied by solute particles, which are non-volatile. Therefore, evaporation of the liquid will take place from a lesser surface area. In other words, the particles (or molecules) of the liquid will now have a less tendency to escape into vapour state. This shall, therefore, result in lowering of vapour pressure.

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : Why aryl halides are less reactive?

    Aryl halides are much less reactive towards nucleophilic substitution reactions than haloalkanes. The less reactivity of aryl halides can be described

  • Q : Maximum vapour pressure Provide

    Provide solution of this question. Which solution will show the maximum vapour pressure at 300 K: (a)1MC12H22O11 (b)1M CH3 COOH (c) 1MNacl2 (d)1MNACl

  • Q : Problem on volumetric flow rate Methane

    Methane containing 4 mol% N2 is flowing through a pipeline at 105.1 kpa and 22 °C. To check this flow rate, N2 at the same temperature and pressure are introduced to the pipeline at the rate of 2.83 m3/min. At the end of the pipe (

  • Q : Surface Tension Vapour Pressure The

    The vapor pressure of small liquid drops depends on the drop size. Although the surface properties of a liquid are different from those of the bulk liquid, the special surface properties can be ignored except in a few situations. One is the case in which a liquid is dispersed into fine dr

  • Q : Simulate the column in HYSYS The

    The objective of this work is to separate a binary mixture and to cool down the bottom product for storage. (Check table below to see which mixture you are asked to study). 100 kmol of feed containing 10 mol percent of the lighter component enters a continuous distillation column at the m

  • Q : Negative deviation Which one of the

    Which one of the following non-ideal solutions shows the negative deviation: (a) CH3COCH3 + CS2   (b) C6H6 + CH3COCH3   (c) CCl4 + CHCl3  

  • Q : Quantum Mechanical Operators The

    The quantum mechanical methods, illustrated previously by the Schrödinger equation, are extended by the use of operators. Or, w

  • Q : Problem on bubble point The following

    The following mixture of hydrocarbons is obtained as one stream in a petroleum refinery.

    Q : Equimolar solutions Select the right

    Select the right answer of the question. Equimolar solutions in the same solvent have : (a)Same boiling point but different freezing point (b) Same freezing point but different boiling poin (c)Same boiling and same freezing points (d) Different boiling and differe

  • Q : Decision about dipole moment is present

    How can you decide if there is a dipole moment or not?