2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

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Freezing Point Depression

Example Problem
Calculate the Freezing Point Depression Temperature

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Freezing Point Depression: Water will form ice at a lower temperature when a solute is added to the water.
nikamata/Getty Images

By Todd Helmenstine
Updated on July 01, 2021

This example problem demonstrates how to calculate freezing point depression

using a solution of salt in water.

Key Takeaways: Calculate Freezing Point

Depression
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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

Freezing point depression is a property of solutions where the solute

lowers the normal freezing point of the solvent.

Freezing point depression only depends on solute concentration, not

its mass or chemical identity.

A common example of freezing point depression is salt lowering the

freezing point of water to keep ice from freezing on roads in cold
temperatures.

The calculation uses an equation called Blagden's Law, which

combines Raoult's Law and the Clausius-Clapeyron Equation.

Quick Review of Freezing Point Depression

Freezing point depression is one of the colligative properties of matter, which
means it is affected by the number of particles, not the chemical identity of the
particles or their mass. When a solute is added to a solvent, its freezing point is
lowered from the original value of the pure solvent. It doesn't matter whether
the solute is a liquid, gas, or solid. For example, freezing point depression
occurs when either salt or alcohol are added to water. In fact, the solvent can be
any phase, too. Freezing point depression also occurs in solid-solid mixtures.

Freezing point depression is calculated using Raoult's Law and the Clausius-
Clapeyron Equation to write an equation called Blagden's Law. In an ideal
solution, freezing point depression only depends on solute concentration.

Freezing Point Depression Problem

31.65 g of sodium chloride is added to 220.0 mL of water at 34 °C. How will this
affect the freezing point of the water?
Assume the sodium chloride completely dissociates in the water.
Given: density of water at 35 °C = 0.994 g/mL
Kf water = 1.86 °C kg/mol

Solution

To find the temperature change elevation of a solvent by a solute, use the

freezing point depression equation:
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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

ΔT = iKfm
where
ΔT = Change in temperature in °C
i = van 't Hoff factor
Kf = molal freezing point depression constant or cryoscopic constant in °C
kg/mol
m = molality of the solute in mol solute/kg solvent.

Step 1: Calculate the molality of the NaCl

molality (m) of NaCl = moles of NaCl/kg water

From the periodic table, find the atomic masses of the elements:
atomic mass Na = 22.99
atomic mass Cl = 35.45
moles of NaCl = 31.65 g x 1 mol/(22.99 + 35.45)
moles of NaCl = 31.65 g x 1 mol/58.44 g
moles of NaCl = 0.542 mol
kg water = density x volume
kg water = 0.994 g/mL x 220 mL x 1 kg/1000 g
kg water = 0.219 kg
mNaCl = moles of NaCl/kg water
mNaCl = 0.542 mol/0.219 kg
mNaCl = 2.477 mol/kg

Step 2: Determine the van 't Hoff factor

The van 't Hoff factor, i, is a constant associated with the amount of dissociation
of the solute in the solvent. For substances which do not dissociate in water,
such as sugar, i = 1. For solutes that completely dissociate into two ions, i = 2.
For this example, NaCl completely dissociates into the two ions, Na+ and Cl-.
Therefore, i = 2 for this example.

Step 3: Find ΔT

ΔT = iKfm
ΔT = 2 x 1.86 °C kg/mol x 2.477 mol/kg
ΔT = 9.21 °C
Answer:

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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

Adding 31.65 g of NaCl to 220.0 mL of water will lower the freezing point by
9.21 °C.

Limitations of Freezing Point Depression Calculations

Calculating freezing point depression has practical applications, such as making
ice cream and drugs and de-icing roads. However, the equations are only valid
in certain situations.

The solute must be present in much lower quantities than the solvent.
Freezing point depression calculations apply to dilute solutions.

The solute must be non-volatile. The reason is that freezing point occurs
when the vapor pressure of the liquid and solid solvent are at equilibrium.

Sources
Atkins, Peter (2006). Atkins' Physical Chemistry. Oxford University Press. pp. 150–153. ISBN
0198700725.

Aylward, Gordon; Findlay, Tristan (2002). SI Chemical Data (5th ed.). Sweden: John Wiley &
Sons. p. 202. ISBN 0-470-80044-5.

Ge, Xinlei; Wang, Xidong (2009). "Estimation of Freezing Point Depression, Boiling Point
Elevation, and Vaporization Enthalpies of Electrolyte Solutions". Industrial & Engineering
Chemistry Research. 48 (10): 5123. doi:10.1021/ie900434h

Mellor, Joseph William (1912). "Blagden's Law". Modern Inorganic Chemistry. New York:
Longmans, Green, and Company.

Petrucci, Ralph H.; Harwood, William S.; Herring, F. Geoffrey (2002). General Chemistry (8th
ed.). Prentice-Hall. pp. 557–558. ISBN 0-13-014329-4.

Cite this Article

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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

You can lower the freezing point of

water into ice using freezing point
depression,

Freezing Point Depression

Boiling Point Elevation Example
Problem

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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

Adding salt to water increases its

boiling point, but you'd have to
add a lot of salt to make a difference
when cooking.

Calculating Concentrations with

Boiling Point Elevation
Units and Dilutions

boiling solution

Colligative Properties of Solutions Chemistry Vocabulary Terms You

Should Know

Pouring liquid from one beaker to

another to neutralize a solution

Why Does Salt Melt Ice? Science of How to Neutralize a Base With an
How It Works Acid

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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

chemistry glassware with colorful Mass percentage represents the

liquids concentration of a sample.

Normality Definition in Chemistry Mass Percentage Definition and

Example

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2/26/24, 7:42 PM How to Calculate Freezing Point Depression

Science teacher helping high school Bottle of cold vodka in bucket of ice.
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