--%>

What is depression in freezing point?

Freezing point of a substance is the temperature at which solid and liquid phases of the substance coexist. It is defined as the temperature at which its solid and liquid phases have the same vapour pressure.

The freezing point of a pure liquid is preset. Now, if a non-volatile solute is dissolved in the pure liquid to constitute a solution, there occurs a lowering in the freezing point. The freezing point of solution refers to the temperature at which the vapour pressure of the solvent in two phases, i.e. liquid solution and solid solvent is the same. Since the vapour pressure of the solvent at a lower temperature.

Evidently the freezing point of the pure solvent is the temperature corresponding to the point B (T0 K) and that of the solution is the temperature corresponding to the point A'(T1 K). Clearly, (T0 - T1) or ΔTƒ is the freezing point depression. Since its magnitude is determined by that of lowering of vapour pressure, the freezing point depression depends upon the molal concentration of the solute and does not depend upon the nature of solid. It is, thus, a colligative property. The general relation between these two quantities for a solution of non-electrolyte is usually expressed in term of molality of the solution

ΔTƒ  Δp and Δp xB

ΔTƒ = kxB =415_freezing point.png 


For dilute solution, 272_freezing point1.png   and hence,1964_freezing point2.png.


ΔTƒ = k 1278_freezing point3.png  = k582_elevation in boiling point4.pngMA


If WA is the mass of solvent in kg, then   is equal to molality (m) of the solution

ΔTƒ = kMAm     (? kMA = Kƒ)

ΔTƒ =Kƒm, where Kƒ is called Freezing point depression constant or molal depression constant or cryoscopic constant.

As is clear from the above, depression in freezing point depends upon relative number of moles of solute and solvent but does not depend upon nature of solute, so it is a colligative property.

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : Problem on partial pressure i) Show

    i) Show that the equilibrium constant Kp for the reaction CaCo3(s) ↔ CaO(s) +CO2(g)is about unity (i.e. = 1.0) at 895 °C.ii) If two grams of calcium carbonate are pl

  • Q : Relationship between Pressure and

    The pressure-temperature relation for solid-vapor or liquid vapor equilibrium is expressed by the Clausis-Clapeyron equation.We now obtain an expression for the pressure-temperature dependence of the state of equilibrium between two phases. To be specific,

  • Q : What are isotonic and hypotonic

    The two solutions which are having equivalent osmotic pressure are called isotonic solutions. The isotonic solutions at the same temperature also have same molar concentration. If we have solutions having different osmotic pressures then the solution having different

  • Q : Question based on relative lowering of

    Give me answer of this question. When a non-volatile solute is dissolved in a solvent, the relative lowering of vapour pressure is equal to: (a) Mole fraction of solute (b) Mole fraction of solvent (c) Concentration of the solute in grams per litre (d) Concentratio

  • Q : What is electrolysis? Explain with

    Passage of a current through a solution can produce an electrolysis reaction.Much additional information on the properties of the ions in an aqueous solution can be obtained from studies of the passage of a direct current (dc) through a cell containing a s

  • Q : Distribution law Help me to go through

    Help me to go through this problem. The distribution law is applied for the distribution of basic acid between : (a) Water and ethyl alcohol (b) Water and amyl alcohol (c) Water and sulphuric acid (d) Water and liquor ammonia

  • Q : Dependcy of colligative properties

    Colligative properties of a solution depends upon: (a) Nature of both solvent and solute (b) The relative number of solute and solvent particles (c) Nature of solute only (d) Nature of solvent only

  • Q : Describe properties of carboxylic acids.

    1. Physical state: the first three aliphatic acids are colourless liquids with pungent smell. The next six are oily liquids with an odour of rancid butter while the higher members are colourless, odourless waxy solids. Benzoic acid is referred to

  • Q : Explain gels and its various categories.

    Certain sols have the property of setting to a semi-solid, jelly-like form by enclosing the entire amount of liquid within itself when they are present at high concentrations. This process is called gelation and colloidal systems with jelly-like appearance are known as gels. Some common examples

  • Q : Explain vapour pressure of liquid

    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 d