Freezing point depression is a phenomenon that occurs when a solute is added to a solvent, resulting in the lowering of the freezing point of the solvent. This is a key colligative property, which means it depends on the number, not the type, of solute particles present. In the context of the exercise, freezing point depression is observed in solutions like
- Sucrose solution (\(\mathrm{C}_{12} \mathrm{H}_{22} \mathrm{O}_{11}\)), which doesn't dissociate and counts as one solute particle.
- Sodium chloride (\(\mathrm{NaCl}\)) solution, which dissociates into two ions, Na⁺ and Cl⁻, thereby contributing two solute particles.
- Calcium chloride (\(\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}\)) solution, which dissociates into three ions, Ca²⁺ and two Cl⁻, contributing the most solute particles.
The greater the number of solute particles, the more the freezing point decreases. In the exercise, the pure water has the highest freezing point at 0 solute particles, and the calcium chloride solution has the lowest due to its dissociation into more particles. Understanding these interactions is essential in fields like chemistry and biology where solutions are frequently used.