Question

Determine the van’t Hoff factor for the following ionic solute

dissolved in water.

Short answer

Van’t Hoff factor for the following ionic solute dissolved in water is less than 2.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1:

Van't Hoff factor is denoted by i which is = $\frac{\text{molesofparticleinthesolution}}{\text{molesofsolutedissolved}}$

In the given solution there is some ion-pairing due to which the dissociation

of solute particles is less therefore the Van’t Hoff factor which is observed is

less than the expected Van’t Hoff factor.

Step 2:

Since there is very little ion-pairing so the deviation in Van’t Hoff factor is less

which is the case when ions with less charge density dissociate. So the

expected Van’t Hoff factor could be 2 but the observed Van’t Hoff factor will

always be less than 2.