Van't Hoff Factor Formula:
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Definition: The Van't Hoff Factor (i) is the ratio of observed colligative property to theoretical colligative property.
Purpose: It helps quantify the effect of solute particles on colligative properties like vapour pressure lowering.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula relates the relative lowering of vapour pressure to the molality and molecular mass of the solvent.
Details: The factor is crucial for understanding solution behavior, especially for electrolytes that dissociate in solution.
Tips: Enter vapour pressures in pascals, molality in mol/kg, and molecular mass in kg. The default molecular mass (0.018 kg) is for water.
Q1: What does i = 1 mean?
A: A value of 1 indicates the solute doesn't dissociate or associate in solution (typical for non-electrolytes).
Q2: What's a typical value for NaCl solutions?
A: For NaCl, i approaches 2 (but may be less due to ion pairing at higher concentrations).
Q3: Why is molecular mass in kg?
A: The SI unit for mass is kg, and using consistent units ensures proper calculation.
Q4: What if i > expected value?
A: Values higher than expected may indicate solute association or measurement errors.
Q5: Does temperature affect the result?
A: Temperature affects vapour pressures but not the Van't Hoff factor directly.