Freezing point of a substance is defined as the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the solid form is in equilibrium with

liquid form of the substance. In other words, solid and liquid forms of the substance has same vapor pressure.

fig 3.10 The curves AB, BC, and A'B' are the vapor pressure curves of solid solvent (ice) liquid water and solution containing non volatile solute respectively. T K is the freezing point of pure solvent T 1K is the freezing point of the solution. The freezing point depression depends upon the molal concentration of the solute and does not depend upon the nature of solute. Therefore it is a colligative property. Depression in freezing point is used to lower the freezing temperature of water and clear roads during severe winters. Depression in freezing point is also useful in antifreeze, which is used in the radiators of cars to prevent the water in the radiators from freezing during extreme winters. Ethylene glycol is added as antifreeze.
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