Raoult's Law states that the vapor pressure of a solvent in a solution is directly proportional to the mole fraction of the solvent.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is Raoult's Law primarily used to describe?
Solution: Raoult's Law states that the vapor pressure of a solvent in a solution is directly proportional to the mole fraction of the solvent.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand that Raoult's Law is about solutions, which are mixtures of two or more substances.
Step 2: Identify the main components in a solution: the solvent (the main liquid) and the solute (the substance dissolved in the solvent).
Step 3: Learn that vapor pressure is the pressure exerted by the vapor of a substance in a closed container.
Step 4: Know that Raoult's Law specifically focuses on the vapor pressure of the solvent in the solution.
Step 5: Realize that Raoult's Law states that the vapor pressure of the solvent is proportional to how much of the solvent is present compared to the total amount of all substances in the solution (this is called the mole fraction).
Step 6: Conclude that Raoult's Law helps predict how the presence of a solute affects the vapor pressure of the solvent.