If the relative decrease in vapor pressure is #0.167# for a solution containing #"NaCl"# in #"180 g"# of water, what is the mols of #"NaCl"# in the solution phase?
#1)# 50 mols
#2)# 2 mols
#3)# 10 mols
#4)# 5 mols
2 Answers
Use Raoult's Law.
2) 2 moles
Explanation:
Math details here:
https://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/Solutions_and_Mixtures/Colligative_Properties/Vapor_Pressure_Lowering
For 2 Moles
Relative change
Here's a way to do it without knowing the multiple choice answers.
I got
The decrease in vapor pressure of the solvent
#DeltaP_A = P_A - P_A^"*"#
Assuming the solution follows Raoult's law (i.e. that it is ideal), we get:
#DeltaP_A = chi_(A(l))P_A^"*" - P_A^"*"#
#= (chi_(A(l)) - 1)P_A^"*"#
#= -chi_(B(l))P_A^"*"# where
#chi_(B(l))# is the mol fraction of the solute in the solution phase,#P_A# is the vapor pressure of the solvent in the context of the solution, and#"*"# indicates pure solvent.
In this form, it is clear that the change is always negative. If the relative decrease is
#|DeltaP_A|/P_A^"*" = 1 - P_A/P_A^"*" = chi_(B(l)) = 0.167# and we see how this turns out to be a fraction; as we have just shown,
#P_A < P_A^"*"# necessarily, whenever any nonvolatile solute is added to the solvent, so#0 < (|DeltaP_A|)/(P_A^"*") < 1# .
By definition,
#chi_("NaCl"(l)) = (n_("NaCl"(l)))/(n_("H"_2"O"(l)) + n_("NaCl"(l)))#
This means that the mols of
#n_("NaCl"(l)) = 0.167(n_("H"_2"O"(l)) + n_("NaCl"(l)))#
The mols of water are:
#n_("H"_2"O"(l)) = "180 g H"_2"O" xx ("1 mol")/("18.015 g H"_2"O") = "9.992 mols"#
Therefore:
#"9.992 mols" + n_("NaCl"(l)) = n_"tot"#
and:
#n_("NaCl"(l)) = 0.167("9.992 mols" + n_("NaCl"(l)))#
Solving for the mols of
#0.167("9.992 mols") = (1 - 0.167)n_("NaCl"(l))#
#color(blue)(n_("NaCl"(l))) = (0.167/(1-0.167))("9.992 mols")#
#=# #color(blue)("2.003 mols")#