What happens to the freezing point of a solvent when a solute is added?

Practice Questions

Q1
What happens to the freezing point of a solvent when a solute is added?
  1. It increases
  2. It decreases
  3. It remains the same
  4. It fluctuates

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

What happens to the freezing point of a solvent when a solute is added?
  • Step 1: Understand what a solvent is. A solvent is a substance, usually a liquid, that dissolves a solute.
  • Step 2: Know what a solute is. A solute is a substance that is dissolved in a solvent.
  • Step 3: Learn about freezing point. The freezing point is the temperature at which a liquid turns into a solid.
  • Step 4: When a solute is added to a solvent, it disrupts the ability of the solvent molecules to form a solid structure.
  • Step 5: As a result, the temperature must be lowered more than usual for the solvent to freeze.
  • Step 6: This means the freezing point of the solvent decreases when a solute is added.
  • Step 7: This effect is called freezing point depression.
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