RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Boiling-point elevation is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to ambient
atmospheric pressure.

Table 1. Environmental Conditions

Temperature
24°C
Atmospheric
Pressure 751.4 mmHg

Colligative properties are those properties of solutions that depend on the ratio of the
number of solute particles to the number of solvent molecules in a solution, and not on the
nature of the solute (McQuarrie, et al., 2011). In other words, colligative properties are a set of
solution properties that can be approximated by assuming that the solution is ideal.
If a solute is dissolved in a solvent, the properties which the solution formed would be
different to the pure solvent. The increase in the boiling point of a solvent when a solute is added
resulting to the solution having a higher boiling point than the pure solvent is called boiling point
depression (Chang, 2014).
In this experiment, the boiling point of distilled water which is the pure solvent was
determined and was compared to the boiling point of the two solution which was oxalic acid
(non-electrolyte) and sodium sulfate (electrolyte).

Table 2. Boiling-point elevation of oxalic acid and sodium sulfate

Observations Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
Boiling temperature of
distilled water 97.4°C 98.2°C 99.6°C 98.4°C
Boiling temperature of
oxalic acid 97.7°C 98.5°C 99.6°C 98.6°C
Boiling temperature of
𝑁𝑎2 𝑆𝑂4 98.15°C 98.47°C 99.15°C 98.52°C
Molality of oxalic acid
0.44 mol/kg
Molality of oxalic acid
0.28 mol/kg
Theoretical molecular
weight of oxalic acid 90.03 g/mol
Theoretical molecular
weight of 𝑁𝑎2 𝑆𝑂4 142.04 g/mol
 Experimental molecular
weight of oxalic acid 90.1 g/mol
Experimental molecular
weight of 𝑁𝑎2 𝑆𝑂4 90.1 g/mol

Oxalic acid 𝑁𝑎2 𝑆𝑂4

% Error 13.65% 20.20%

In order to boil a liquid, its vapor pressure should exceed or be equal to the atmospheric
pressure, which is hard to achieve once you add a nonvolatile component. It does not matter
whether the solute is electrolyte or non-electrolyte (Helmenstine, 2019). Vapor pressure of the
solvent above a solution containing a non-volatile solute is directly proportional to the mole
fraction of solvent in the solution. Since the boiling point of the solution is always higher than the
boiling point of pure solvent, the equation for boiling-point elevation is (𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇°𝑏 ) where 𝑇𝑏 is
the boiling point of the solution and 𝑇°𝑏 is the boiling point of the pure solvent which yields a
positive value for boiling-point elevation. The relationship of the boiling point elevation of the
solution is directly proportional to the concentration of solute added in molal boiling point
elevation constant 𝐾𝑏 (Engel; Reid, 2006)

Based from the table of data, the experimental boiling point of oxalic acid and sodium
sulfate is slightly lower than the distilled water which is 98.4°C (Table 2). As observed in the
experimental values that was shown above, the concept of boiling-point elevation was the
expected results to the experiment therefore but some error was committed because in theory,
the boiling point of the oxalic acid and sodium sulfate should be higher than the pure solvent
which was water after adding the solute which is non-volatile but the results shows it was really
close. Some possible errors are instrumentation error because the beaker was a bit large for the
small amount of solution therefore the tip of the thermometer was not completely submerged
to the solution. Also, the readings in the digital and mercury thermometer was different from
each other. Another error could be human error because the tip of the thermometer was
touching the beaker therefore it was not showing accurate temperature. Also, an error could be
found in the weighing of the solutes because top-loading balance was used and not analytical
balance which would show a more accurate weight of the solutes.

References:

Chang, R., & Goldsby, K. A. (2014). General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Helmenstine, A. (May 7,2019). Boiling Point Elevation. Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/understanding-boiling-point-elevation-609180

McQuarrie, Donald, et al. Colligative properties of Solutions" General Chemistry Mill Valley:
Library of Congress, 2011. ISBN 978-1-89138-960-3.

T. Engel and P. Reid, Physical Chemistry (Pearson Benjamin Cummings 2006) p.204-5