Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments

Chapter 8. Laboratory: Colligative Properties of Solutions

The colligative properties of solutions are those affected by the number of solute particles (ions, atoms, molecules, or accretions of multiple molecules) in a solution rather than by the type of solute particles present. There are three colligative properties, as described here.

Vapor pressure reduction

• Vapor pressure reduction occurs as the number of solute particles in a solution increases. In effect, some solute particles displace solvent particles at the surface of the solution (the liquid-gas boundary), making fewer solvent particles available for vaporization and thereby reducing the ...