Lab 1: Colligative Properties & Osmotic Pressure

Purpose / Introduction
The purpose of this lab experiment is to observe and compare the freezing points of a
pure solvent and a solvent mixed with a nonvolatile solute in a solution. Unlike most properties,
the freezing point of a solution depends on the number of solute particles present in the solution.
It should be expected that they results of this part of the experiment will show that the freezing
point of the pure solvent will be lower than that of the solution.
In addition to observing the freezing points, the experiment also allows the viewer to
observe and develop and understanding of osmosis: the principle dialysis is based on. Osmosis
is the practice of particles moving between different concentrations via a semi-permeable
membrane until equilibrium is met. To stop particles from passing through the semi-permeable
membrane, a pressure is needed; this pressure is called osmotic pressure. Osmotic pressure is
also dependent on the number of solute particles presented. It should be expected that the Karo
syrup in the dialysis tubing will travel through the semi-permeable membrane into the distilled
water until equilibrium is met. If the pores in the tubing are large enough, the distilled water will
do the same, but into the tubing; if the pores are too small to allow the distilled water molecules
to pass through, the dialysis tubing will shrink as the syrup leaves the tubing.
Prelab Questions
N/A
Procedure
Refer to CHE 112-BK01 lab manual
Lab 1: Colligative Properties & Osmotic Pressure (page 14)
Data / Results
Part I: Colligative Properties
Seco
nds
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
360

Room
Temp

19
19
19
19
19

Freezing Point 2

Ice
Bath

19
8
6
5
5
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2

Pure Water
20
15
Temperature (Celsius) 10
5
0
0

100

200

300

Time (seconds)
Distilled Water Room Temp

Distilled Water Ice Bath

400

Seco
nds
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
360

Room
Temp

Ice
Bath

19
19
19
19
19

19
9
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2

Salt Solution
20
15
Temperature (Celsius) 10
5
0
0

100

200

300

400

Time (seconds)
Saltwater Room Temp

Saltwater Ice Bath

Freezing Point 2
Postlab Questions

B. The freezing point of the pure water was 2 . The freezing point of the salt water
solution was also 2 .
C. The two freezing points are the same; however, from my knowledge of colligative
properties, the freezing points should have differed; the pure water freezing point should
have been less than the freezing point of the salt water solution.
D. There are many practical applications using colligative properties. Anti-freeze is a
useful application of freezing point depression and boiling point elevation; anti-freeze
keeps the engine from freezing in the winter season, while it also keeps the engine from
overheating in the summer time.
Part II: Osmotic Pressure
Sugar Solution
Prior Pure Water

After Pure Water

Dialysis tube full of Karo syrup

Water clear, no visible distortion in light

Raw Egg*
Prior Vinegar
Hard shell
Opaque color
Textured bumps on shell
Elongated on one side,
rounded on other side

Dialysis tube expanded

After Vinegar

After Karo Syrup

Shell gone
Sunrise orange color
Can see yolk
Rubber ball-like texture
Slightly larger
Elongated side rounded out

Egg white shrunk to just

yolk
Shape is lost
Yolk and membrane remain
Distortion of light in Karo
around egg (water from
yolk)

*Lab was repeated using apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar. After a week, the shell did
not appear to have dissolved; however upon further inspection, the shell was dissolved enough to
be wiped away from the membrane under cool tap water. Additionally, dark stringy material
developed in the apple cider vinegar shortly after the egg was submerged, and after a period the
vinegar level began to lower.

Postlab Questions
A. A dialysis bag is similar to the kidney. A kidney and a dialysis bag both allow certain
cells and molecules to pass through the membrane while keeping other cells and
molecules from passing through the membrane. This is an important process for the
kidneys because it filters out waste from the arteries and veins. The difference between
the kidneys and a dialysis bag is the material the membranes are composed of. Unlike
the kidney, the dialysis bag is incapable of preferential transportation of ions; instead, the
size of the dialysis bag's pores prevents molecules and materials too large to fit through
the pores, thus keeping such molecules and materials from diffusing into the higher
concentration.
B. The Karo syrup is hypertonic to the egg because the water moves from inside the egg
to the Karo syrup.
C.
T =23.6 =297.1 K
=MRT
V =0.500 L

1 atm=760 mmHg

m=0.302 g solute

K=

=8.34 mmHg

1K
( 1
)+ 273.5 K

R=0.0821

0.01097 atm=M 0.0821

M=

L mol
( 297.1 K )
K atm

8.34 mmHg

L mol
K atm

1 atm
=0.01097 atm
760 mmHg

0.01097 atm mol

24.39 atm L
4

M =4.498 10
4.498 104

mol
L

mol
500 L=2.249 104 mol
L

2.249 104 mol=0.302 g

0.302 g
g
=1340
4
mol
2.249 10 mol

The molecular mass of the antibiotic is

1340

g
mol .

Conclusion
Part I of the lab did not produce the expected results. The freezing point of the pure
water should have been lower than the freezing point of the saltwater solution; unfortunately, our
*Lab was repeated using apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar. After a week, the shell did
not appear to have dissolved; however upon further inspection, the shell was dissolved enough to
be wiped away from the membrane under cool tap water. Additionally, dark stringy material
developed in the apple cider vinegar shortly after the egg was submerged, and after a period the
vinegar level began to lower.

results yielded the same freezing point. It is possible we did not let the pure water sit in the ice
bath long enough to achieve the appropriate temperature that would yield results that agree with
the expected and tried-and-true results.
On the other hand, part II of the lab did yield expected results. As expected, the distilled
water diffused into the dialysis tube where the concentration of the Karo syrup was high in
comparison to the outside environment. As a result, the dialysis tube expanded as water traveled
across the membrane until equilibrium was met. The results of the raw egg also yielded accurate
results; except, in the raw egg's case, the water from inside the egg diffused across the membrane
to the highly concentrated Karo syrup outside the egg. This process continued until the
equilibrium was met.