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Colligative properties

Can any of you clever physics types explain to me why the addition of solute depresses the freezing point (and elevates the boiling point) of solvents?

As a humble chemist, all I was ever taught was that it happend, not why it happened...

(rep for the best answer)

Ta
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rbnphlp
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Original post by Plato's Trousers
Can any of you clever physics types explain to me why the addition of solute depresses the freezing point (and elevates the boiling point) of solvents?

As a humble chemist, all I was ever taught was that it happend, not why it happened...

(rep for the best answer)

Ta


I cant quite follow what theyre on about , but it might be of some help.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling-point_elevation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freezing_point_depression
(edited 13 years ago)
hmm...yeah. I read that, but it didn't make a lot of sense. I can see that a solute has a vapour pressure of zero, but why would that affect the vapour pressure of the solvent? Is it "taking up" some of the thermal energy in some way and not contribting to the vapour pressure? If so, how is it "taking up" that thermal energy?

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