Determination of the Freezing Point Depression

CHRISTHEL MAY M. PUEBLAS

Department of Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering and Architecture

Cebu Institute of Technology -University

N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the unknown compound by determining the
molecular weight using its freezing point depression. Results of freezing point were -2.060C
for pure solvent, -2.960C for 2g unknown and -3.870C for 5g unknown. Molecular results were
82.67 g/mol and 102.76 g/mol. The guessed compound was Sodium carbonate (NaCO3 ) which
has a molecular weight of 105.99 g/mol. This experiment showed that solution has lower
freezing point than pure solvent and the greater the molal concentration of the solute, the greater
the freezing point depression will be.
1. Introduction

Colligative properties can be used to determine the molar mass of a compound.

Freezing point depression is particularly useful for molar mass determination because the
freezing point of a solution is easy to find experimentally. An unknown compound or
solute can be determined by calculating its molecular weight by dissolving it to a known
solvent and measuring the solution’s freezing point depression. When a solid compound
is dissolved in a solvent, the freezing point of the resulting solution is lower than that of
the pure solvent. This phenomenon is known as freezing-point depression, and the change
in temperature is directly related to the molecular weight of the solute. In other word, the
solution possesses a lower freezing point than the pure solvent. Freezing point depression
can be defined as the difference between the freezing point of the solution and the
freezing point of the pure solvent.

This experiment aims to measure the freezing point depression of a solution of a

known solvent and to determine the molecular weight of the solute from the freezing
point depression by using Beckmann Molecular Weight Apparatus. The solvent in this
experiment refers to water and the solute refers to an unknown compound.

Beckmann thermometer, a differential type thermometer, is used in this experiment to

measure small temperature changes in the freezing point of pure solvent and solution. The
relationship between the lowering of the freezing point and the concentration of the
solution is given by the following:

Where delta T is the freezing point depression and Kf is the freezing point constant
which is a property and specific to a particular solvent. It relates molality to freezing point
depression.
 2. Materials and Methods

Apparatus:

Beckmann molecular weight apparatus consisting of the following:

Beckmann thermometer
Quartz tube for molecular weight apparatus equipped with stirrer
Rubber/cork stopper quartz tube with a pre-drilled hole in the middle for the Beckmann
thermometer
500 mL beaker
Iron stand
2 clamps

Laboratory water bath consisting of the following:

Copper pot (half-filled with tap water)
Bunsen burner
Clay shield

Materials:

100 mL distilled water (solvent)

Unknown organic compound
250 g crushed ice
Pinch of table salt (NaCl)

Methods:

The Beckmann Molecular Weight Apparatus was assembled. As the Beckman

Thermometer is a differential type thermometer, a sufficient amount of mercury must be
left in the bulb and stem to give readings between the required temperature depression. It
was checked whether the Beckman Thermometer gives readings between the required
temperature range by immersing the bulb of the thermometer in a bath containing a
mixture of crushed ice and water. If the Beckmann thermometer was not calibrated then
set the Beckmann Thermometer by adding a sufficient amount of mercury to the bulb and
the stem.

2.1 Setting the Beckmann Thermometer

The Beckmann Thermometer was inverted and was gently tapped so that the mercury
in the reservoir lodges in the bend B at the end of the stem ( see Figure 2.A). The
thermometer was gently warmed in a water bath that is heated until the mercury in the
stem joins the mercury in the reservoir. Care was observed to make sure that the mercury
in the stem and reservoir stays connected. The bulb was cooled down to room
temperature and was then immersed in a bath containing crushed ice and water. It was
waited until the upper end scale of the thermometer is within one or two degrees of the
upper limit of temperature to be measured. The entire instrument was gently tapped on
the palm of the hand, to separate the mercury thread from that in the upper part of the
reservoir.

2.2 Determination of Freezing Point of Pure Solvent

Fifty milliliters (50 ml) of the solvent was pipetted into the quartz tube of the Beckmann
Molecular Weight Apparatus. The Beckmann thermometer was placed and it was properly
set. The solvent was cooled to approximately 1 degree above its freezing point by
immersing the tube directly in the freezing mixture of crushed ice and water. Temperature
readings were taken every 30 seconds. Super cooling will probably be experienced. The
solvent was stirred steadily during the measurement of the freezing point. The freezing
point of the solvent was noted as Beckmann thermometer reading became constant. The
laboratory instructor was asked to check the set-up.
2.3 Determination of Freezing Point Depression

After determining the freezing point of pure solvent, unknown sample was asked from
the laboratory instructor. About 2 grams of the weighed unknown sample was introduced
into the solvent through the opening by removing the Beckmann thermometer. The 2 g
solute was then dissolved. After the dissolving the sample, the freezing point of the solution
was measured in the same manner as with the pure solvent. The steps were repeated by
changing the weight of the unknown sample to 5 g.

Figure 2.A Beckman Differential Thermometer

3. Results

3.1 Tabulated Data

Table 3.A Pure Solvent

Table 3.B Solution of 2g solute
Time Temp ( Time Temp (
(min) °C) (min) °C)
0 0 0 0
1 -0.05 0.5 -0.18
2 -0.06 1 -0.43
3 -0.17 1.5 -0.62
4 -0.21 2 -0.83
5 -0.24 2.5 -0.94
6 -0.31 3 -1.15
7 -0.44 3.5 -1.21
8 -0.53 4 -1.46
9 -0.63 4.5 -1.62
10 -0.75 5 -1.78
11 -0.85 5.5 -1.94
12 -0.95 6 -2.1
13 -1.03 6.5 -2.26
14 -1.08 7 -2.38
15 -1.13 7.5 -2.5
16 -1.18 8 -2.65
17 -1.26 8.5 -2.78
18 -1.38 9 -2.86
19 -1.47 9.5 -2.96
20 -1.55 10 -2.96
21 -1.66 10.5 -2.96
22 -1.74 11
23 -1.79 11.5
24 -1.84 12
25 -1.89 12.5
26 -1.95 13
27 -1.95 13.5
28 -1.99 14
29 -2.03 14.5
30 -2.05 15
30.5 -2.06 15.5
31 -2.06 16
31.5 -2.06 16.5
Table 3.C Solution of 5g solute

Time Temp (
(min) °C)
0 0
0.5 -0.28
1 -0.48
1.5 -0.84
2 -1.06
2.5 -1.29
3 -1.49
3.5 -1.72
4 -1.88
4.5 -1.96
5 -12.05
5.5 -2.2
6 -2.35
6.5 -2.47
7 -2.6
7.5 -2.72
8 -2.8
8.5 -2.92
9 -3.01
9.5 -3.08
10 -3.16
10.5 -3.23
11 -3.3
11.5 -3.35
12 -3.42
12.5 -3.47
13 -3.5
13.5 -3.53
14 -3.55
14.5 -3.57
15 -3.62
15.5 -3.63
16 -3.64
16.5 -3.7
17 -3.73
17.5 -3.74
18 -3.77
18.5 -3.78
19 -3.8
19.5 -3.83
20 -3.86
20.5 -3.87
21 -3.87
3.2 Computations

Freezing point of pure solvent = -2.06 0C

Amount of pure solvent (water) = 50g

 2grams of Unknown
∆Tf = Tf(solvent) − Tf(solution)
∆Tf = −2.06℃ − (−2.96℃)
∆Tf = 0.90℃

 5grams of Unknown
∆Tf = Tf(solvent) − Tf(solution)
∆Tf = −2.06℃ − (−3.87℃)
∆Tf = 1.81℃

 Molecular Weight of Unknown Solute

∆Tf = 1.38 ℃
g = 2 g and 5g unknown solute
G = 50 g solvent
Kf H2O = 1.86 0C /m

1. 2 g unknown

1000Kf g
M=
G∆Tf
1000(1.86)(2)
M= 50(0.90)
M= 82.67 g/mol
 2. 5 g unknown
1000Kf g
M=
G∆Tf
1000(1.86)(5)
M= 50(1.81)
M= 102.76 g/mol

4. Discussion

In the tables above (3.A, 3.B and 3.C) , it was shown that the solvent, which is
distilled water, has a freezing point of -2.06 0C, the solution with 2g unknown has a freezing
point of -2.960C and the solution with 5g unknown has a freezing point of -3.870C. These
results show that solutions has lower freezing point than pure solvent in which 5g unknown
has the lowest freezing point, followed by 2g unknown then water having the highest freezing
point. It also proves that freezing point depression of a solution is dependent on the
concentration of the solution, 5g unknown solution has smaller or lesser freezing point
depression compared to 2g unknown solution.

The molecular weight of the unknown was determined by calculating the results.
Calculations show that the molecular weight of the unknown compound were 82.67 g/mol
(from 2g unknown) and 102.76 g/mol (from 5g unknown). The molecular weight of a
substance is independent of the concentration of a solution. Although an obvious significant
difference was present between the molecular weight results, only 19.55% error resulted in
the experiment. If the average molecular weight is to be used, it would be 92.715g/mol. As a
guess, the unknown compound determined was Sodium carbonate (NaCO3) which has a
molar mass of 105.99 g/mol.
5. Conclusion

In this experiment, the freezing point depression of a solution of a known

solvent was measured and the molecular weight of the unknown solute was determined
from the freezing point depression. Based on the calculations, the guessed unknown
solute was Sodium carbonate having 105.99 g/mol. A significant difference was present
between the two molecular weights which was caused by some errors. Errors causing
these may be the calibration of Beckmann thermometer, or human error while reading the
thermometer or the temperature of the surroundings. The experiment proved that
solutions have lower freezing point than pure solvent. It also proved that the greater the
molal concentration of the solute, the greater the freezing point depression will be.

6. Reference

Web reference:

http://1chemistry.blogspot.com/2011/12/determining-molecule-weight-by-freezing.html

August 5,2017

http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/howtosolveit/Solutions/determinemolarmass.html

August 5, 2017