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COLLIGATIVE PROPERTIES OF SOLUTIONS
Colligative properties are physical properties of solutions that depend on the concentration of solute particles, rather than the specific identity of the solute.
The four colligative properties that can be exhibited by a solution are:
1.Boiling point elevation
2.Freezing point depression
3.Relative lowering of vapour pressure
4.Osmotic pressure
These properties are observed when a solute is dissolved in a solvent to form a solution. Colligative properties are not dependent on the chemical nature of the solution’s components , instead, these properties depend on the number of dissolved species in the solution.
Thus, colligative properties can be linked to several quantities that express the concentration of a solution, such as molarity, normality, and molality. This means that equal amounts of dissolved species always cause the same effects independent of their chemical nature.
Colligative properties are proportional to the number of solute particles in the solution, regardless of the nature or size of the solute molecules. This is why colligative properties are useful for determining the molecular weight or molar mass of a solute, as they provide a way to indirectly measure the number of solute particles present in a solution.
The word “colligative” has been adapted or taken from the Latin word “colligatus” which translates to “bound together”. In the context of defining a solution, colligative properties help us understand how the properties of the solution are linked to the concentration of solute in the solution.