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Teacher Introduction:

The Simulation – Colligative Properties gizmo from ExploreLearning.com

Curriculum Applications:

C30S-4-12: Explain Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation at the
Molecular Level.

Examples: antifreeze, road salt.

Introduction:

The curriculum requires students to understand colligative properties at a conceptual

level without actually coming being introduced to the term ‘colligative’.

All students love snow days, when icy road conditions force schools to close. Road crews
all over the country stock up on rock salt every winter to help melt the ice. The ice melts
because the addition of salt particles lowers the freezing point of the ice.

The freezing point of water is an example of a colligative property. The term "colligative"
means "depending on the collection." All physical properties of a substance that depend
on the number of solute particles dissolved in the substance are called colligative
properties. These include boiling point, freezing point, vapor pressure and osmotic
pressure. In this simulation exercise osmotic pressure is not considered.

Colligative properties are dependent on the number of dissolved particles, not the identity
of particles. As a result, compounds that dissociate into many particles in solution will
have a greater effect on the colligative properties than those that do not.

The Activity

Students will be provided with a detailed worksheet consisting of step-by-step procedures

and questions to guide them through the simulations. This worksheet will ensure students
can work through the activity independently (although they will be encouraged to work in
pairs) and in a logical manner to ensure they understand the concepts addressed. Using
the worksheet, students are initially permitted to experiment at will with the systems’
variables. They then move through guided manipulations and record their observations on
the worksheet and the data table within the simulation. Finally, they use the data they
have collected to develop an understanding of how freezing and boiling point are
influences by the introduction of and the nature of a solute.

At the end of the activity, students return to the objectives laid out at the beginning of the
exercise and summarize what they have learned. Review questions complete the activity.
If students have successfully mastered the concepts presented in this activity, only a brief
formal lesson with note taking should be necessary.
Rationale

A well-constructed simulation such as this is an appropriate educational strategy in this

situation because gas laws can be very difficult for students to comprehend. This
simulation allows students to actually see the solute and solvent particles, which are of
course undetectable to the naked eye in a lab situation. It is advised that the simulation be
accompanied by a practical, lab-based experience that supports the macroscopic level
provided in virtual by the simulation.

This activity also meets most of the five attributes of meaningful learning discussed by
Jonassen (1999) in learning with technology. This activity allows students to actively
participate in their learning of the concept. This activity is also very conducive to
collaborative and cooperative learning. It is very constructive because students may
manipulate the system and variables. This activity has been specifically designed for
students to learn as they go, building one idea on top of the other. It does allow students
to intentionally work towards a specific learning goal, the comprehension of how solutes
and the nature of the solute influence freezing and boiling points. Unfortunately, this
simulation is not an authentic in its current state. As such, it would be difficult to draw
real world connections.

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Purpose of this Simulation:

By the end of this simulation you should be able to:

Explain what factors influence Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation at
the Molecular Level. As well you should be able to explain why these factors influence
freezing and boiling points,

Getting Going: What to do:

1. Together with your partner, follow the directions on the board to get to the
simulation on the ExploreLearning.com website.

2. Go to ‘Science Grade 9-12’, Choose ‘Chemistry’, Choose ‘Physical

Properties of Matter’ and then ‘Colligative Properties’.

3. Select ‘Launch Gizmo’.

2. Refer to the diagram of the simulation below to help you with the activity.

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Note that you can change the solute and the amount of solute (concentration)
added to the solution. As well, the air temperature can be manipulated to
change the temperature of the solution. You may wish to spend some time
manipulating the variables in order to gauge a better understanding of how
the simulation works.

We are now ready to go!

Section One: Comparing the Effects of Different Solutes

First, you will study the effects of various solutes on the some physical
properties.

1. In the Gizmo™, be sure that the STUDY SOLUTE tab is selected,

Show molecular view is checked, and No solute is selected. Set the
Air temp slider to −10° C. (To quickly set a slider to a given value,
type the value into the field to the right of the slider and hit Enter.)
1. Under the data table, click Record every few seconds. Now
look at the molecules in the beaker. Molecules in a liquid state
move freely, while those in a frozen state vibrate in place.

Is the water frozen?

How do you know?

2. The freezing point is the temperature at which molecules are

equally likely to be in the frozen or liquid state. That is when
something is freezing, the rate of molecules going from solid to
liquid becomes equivalent to those going from liquid to solid.
At this temperature, the state of water is listed as sol-liq.
Examine the data table.

What is the freezing point of water listed on the data table?

Does the Water temp (°C) change much while the water is
freezing?

2. Click Clear, and select Sucrose (sugar). Check that the Air temp is
still set to −10 °C. Click Record every few seconds until the water
molecules are frozen.
1. Observe the table.

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 What is the freezing point of water when sucrose is added?

2. In this simulation, the sucrose particles are represented by small

yellow spheres. Carefully count the number of these particles.
How many sucrose particles do you see?

In this Gizmo, a 1 mol/L solution is represented by two molecules

of solute.

3. Create a data table as shown below. Fill in the data for the No
solute and Sucrose experiments. Then, use the Gizmo to find
the freezing point and number of particles for each of the other
solutes, and record these values in the table. The presence of
more than two particles of solute indicates that solute molecules
dissociated (separated) into several particles when dissolved.

4. Look at your table.

Which solute depressed the freezing point the most?

Which solute dissociated into the greatest number of particles?

5. Based on your data table, what is the relationship between the

number of solute particles and the depression of freezing point?

6. Look at the molecular illustrations. Why does the addition of a

solute influence the freezing point?

7. The formulas for the solutes are as follows: Sucrose

(C12H22O11), Sodium Chloride (NaCl), Calcium Chloride

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 (CaCl2) and Potassium Chloride (KCl). How does the formula
of each substance relate to the number of particles in solution?

How does it relate to the effect on the freezing point? (Hint:

Ionic compounds like NaCl, CaCl2, and KCl will dissociate in
water. Covalent compounds like C12H22O11 will not.)

3. Click Clear. Select No solute and set the Air temp slider to 110° C.
After about five seconds, click Record and note the water temperature
and the state of matter.
1. The temperature at which a substance boils is called the boiling
point. What is the boiling point of pure water? At this
temperature what is happening at the molecular level?

2. Using the same method, find and record the boiling point with
each of the other solutes. What was the effect of adding a solute
on boiling point?

3. Which solute raised boiling point the most? The least? How
does this compare to your freezing point data?

4. Again, explain at the molecular level why the addition of a

solute effects boiling point.

4. When molecules escape from a liquid and move into the gas phase,
they exert a pressure on the walls of the container called vapor
pressure. In the Gizmo, this pressure is indicated by the water level in
the U-tube just to the right of the beaker. In order for a substance to
boil, the vapor pressure of the substance must be equal to the
atmospheric pressure (101.325 kPa). If the vapor pressure is reduced,
then it will require additional heat energy to raise the vapor pressure

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 to the same level. Click Clear, and set the Air temp slider to 100° C.
Select No solute. After a few seconds, click the Record button and
write down the vapor pressure for the water. Repeat the process for
each of the four solutes.
1. Which solute had the greatest effect on vapor pressure? The
smallest effect? How does this compare to your previous
findings?

2. Explain how the lowering of vapor pressure is related to the

increase in boiling point.

Section Two: Studying the Effects of Solute Concentration

In this activity, you will explore how the concentration of a single solute,
sodium chloride, affects the properties of water.

1. Click Clear, select STUDY CONCENTRATION and make sure

‘Show Molecular View” is checked. Set the Air temp slider to 110° C,
and wait several seconds.
1. Click Record. What is the boiling point when the Solute
concentration is 1.0 mol/kg?
2. Use the Solute concentration slider to increase the
concentration to 2.0 mol/kg. Click Record. What is the boiling
point now?
3. Record the boiling point for concentrations of 3.0 mol/kg and
4.0 mol/kg. Create a scatter plot graph of boiling point vs.
concentration. Your graph should contain four data points.

4. Using the graph, predict the boiling point of a 5.0 mol/kg

sodium chloride solution. Use the Gizmo to check your answer.

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 5. Explain at the molecular level why you think changing solute
concentration affects the boiling point.
2. Using the Gizmo, design an experiment to determine the effect of
solute concentration on the freezing point. Before you begin the
experiment, write a hypothesis that indicates how solute concentration
will affect this property. Create a graph for each experiment.

How does an increase in solute concentration affect the freezing

point?

Assessment Questions
1.The four rows of data below show the boiling points for a solution with no solute,
sucrose (C12H22O11), sodium chloride (NaCl), and calcium chloride (CaCl2) (not in that
order). Which boiling point corresponds to calcium chloride?

 A. 101.53° C
 B. 100.00° C
 C. 101.02° C
 D. 100.51° C

2.Which of the following solutions will have the lowest freezing point?

 A. 1.0 mol/kg sucrose (C12H22O11)

 B. 1.0 mol/kg lithium chloride (LiCl)
 C. 1.0 mol/kg sodium phosphide (Na3P)
 D. 1.0 mol/kg magnesium fluoride (MgF2)

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3.Which of the following compounds will be most effective in melting the ice on the
roads when the air temperature is below zero?

 A. sodium iodide (NaI)

 B. magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
 C. potassium bromide (KBr)
 D. All will be equally effective.

4.Four different solutions have the following vapor pressures at 100°C. Which solution
will have the greatest boiling point?

 A. 98.7 kPa
 B. 96.3 kPa
 C. 101.3 kPa
 D. 100.2 kPa