Colligative property

In chemistry, colligative properties are properties of solutions that depend on the ratio of the number of solute particles to the number of solvent molecules in a solution, and not on the nature of the chemical species present. The number ratio can be related to the various units for concentration of solutions. The assumption that solution properties are independent of the nature of solute particles is only exact for ideal solutions, and is approximate for dilute real solutions. In other words, colligative properties are a set of solution properties that can be reasonably approximated by assuming that the solution is ideal.

Here we consider only properties which result from the dissolution of nonvolatile solute in a volatile liquid solvent. They are essentially solvent properties which are changed by the presence of the solute. The solute particles displace some solvent molecules in the liquid phase and therefore reduce the concentration of solvent, so that the colligative properties are independent of the nature of the solute. The word colligative is derived from the Latin colligatus meaning bound together.

Colligative properties include:

For a given solute-solvent mass ratio, all colligative properties are inversely proportional to solute molar mass.

Measurement of colligative properties for a dilute solution of a non-ionized solute such as urea or glucose in water or another solvent can lead to determinations of relative molar masses, both for small molecules and for polymers which cannot be studied by other means. Alternatively, measurements for ionized solutes can lead to an estimation of the percentage of dissociation taking place.

Colligative properties are mostly studied for dilute solutions, whose behavior may often be approximated as that of an ideal solution.

The vapor pressure of a liquid is the pressure of the vapor which is in equilibrium with that liquid. The vapor pressure of a solvent is lowered when a non-volatile solute is dissolved in it to form a solution.

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