February 13, 2014

Peter Fenger
Experiment 11.4
Freezing Point-Depression
I. Purpose
A freezing point is a point at which a substance freezes. A freezing point-depression is a process of
trying to lower the freezing point by mixing certain substances together. The reason for this is that
many substances freeze at different temperatures, so when a substance is mixed with another substance
the freezing point is changed. This is what happens when one puts salt on the roads in a snowy climate,
the freezing temperature is lowered a little so the roads won't become icy unless the conditions get
incredibly cold.
11. Hypothesis
If we mix salt with water, then the freezing point will be lower than regular water.
III.Materials/Supplies
two beakers
graduated cylinder
table salt
measuring teaspoon
thermometer
safety goggles
IV. Procedure
1. Fill each of your beakers with 50 mL of tap water (a qualitative measurement)
2. In one of the beakers, dissolve teaspoon of salt and mark the beaker in some way so that you
know that it is the one with the salt-water solution.
3. Place both beakers in the freezer. Check on the beakers every few minutes to see when they
begin the freeze.
4. When the salt is half-frozen remove the beakers.
5. Carefully stir the mixture of salt and ice water. Stir for about three minutes and then read the
temperature of the thermometer.
6. Rinse the thermometer and place it in the other beaker stirring it for about the same amount of
time. Read the temperature.
V. Observation/Data
1-4. No Data was recorded in these steps.
5. The temperature of the salt a water solution was below 0 degrees Celsius at about -2 degrees
Celsius.
6. Our regular tap water solution was right at 0 degrees Celsius.

February 13, 2014

Peter Fenger

VI. Conclusion
Water freezes at 0.00 degrees Celsius. If thoroughly mixed an ice-water solution will always be at 0.00
degrees Celsius, the freezing point of water. In this experiment since the mixture of salt and ice water
was lower than 0.00 degrees Celsius I find it safe to conclude that the freezing point of salt water is
lower than regular water, therefore proving that my hypothesis if we mix salt with water, then the
freezing point will be lower than regular water is correct.