Henry's Law
Henry's Law states that at a constant temperature, the amount of gas that dissolves in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. This relationship is crucial in understanding how gases behave in solutions, especially in biological and industrial contexts. The law is mathematically represented as:
p = K_H * x, where p is the partial pressure, K_H is the Henry's Law constant, and x is the mole fraction of the gas in the solution.
Raoult's Law
Raoult's Law facilitates the calculation of vapor pressures in solutions, particularly when dealing with volatile liquid components. According to the law, the partial vapor pressure of a component in a solution is equal to the vapor pressure of the pure component multiplied by its mole fraction in the solution:
p_i = p_i° * x_i, where p_i is the partial vapor pressure of component i, p_i° is the vapor pressure of the pure component, and x_i is the mole fraction of the component in the solution.
Ideal vs. Non-Ideal Solutions
Ideal solutions obey Raoult's Law throughout their concentration range, exhibiting no volume change or heat absorption upon mixing. Non-ideal solutions deviate from Raoult’s Law due to differences in intermolecular forces, leading to positive or negative deviations.
Colligative Properties
The section further delves into colligative properties, which depend on the number of solute particles rather than their nature. These include the lowering of vapor pressure, elevation of boiling point, depression of freezing point, and osmotic pressure, all of which have vital implications in various scientific and practical applications.