--%>

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 : What are the chemical properties of

    Haloalkanes are extremely reactive category of aliphatic compounds. Their reactivity is due to the presence of polar carbon-halogen bond in their mole

  • Q : Problem based on molarity Select the

    Select the right answer of the question. If 18 gm of glucose (C6H12O6) is present in 1000 gm of an aqueous solution of glucose, it is said to be: (a)1 molal (b)1.1 molal (c)0.5 molal (d)0.1 molal

  • Q : Explain Rotational Vibrational Spectra

    The infrared spectrum of gas samples shows the effect of rotational-energy changes along with the vibrational energy change.As we know from the interpretations given to thermodynamic properties of gases, gas molecules are simultaneously rotating and vibrating. It follows that an absor

  • Q : What are heterogenous catalysis? Give

    When the catalyst exists in a different phase than that of reactants, it is said to be heterogeneous catalyst, and the catalysis is called heterogeneous catalysis. For example, SO2 can be oxidized to SO3

  • Q : Explain the molecular mass with respect

    During the formation of polymers, different macromolecules have different degree of polymerisation i.e. they have varied chain lengths. Thus, the molecular masses of the individual macromolecules in a particular sample of the polymer are different. Hence, an average value of the molecular mass is

  • Q : Problem related to molarity Provide

    Provide solution of this question. Increasing the temperature of an aqueous solution will cause: (a) Decrease in molality (b) Decrease in molarity (c) Decrease in mole fraction (d) Decrease in % w/w

  • Q : Composition of the vapour Choose the

    Choose the right answer from following. An ideal solution was obtained by mixing methanol and ethanol. If the partial vapour pressure of methanol and ethanol are 2.619KPa and 4.556KPa respectively, the composition of the vapour (in terms of mole fraction) will be: (

  • 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

  • Q : Describe Point Groups. For any

    For any symmetric object there is a set of symmetry operations that, together, constitute a mathematical group, called a point group.It is clear from the examples that most molecules have several elements of symmetry. The H2O

  • Q : Can protein act as the buffer Can

    Can protein act as the buffer? Briefly comment on that statement.