The vapor pressure of water at 20C is 17.5mmHg. What is the vapor pressure of water over a solution prepared from 200g of sucrose (C12H22O11) and 112.3g of water?
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Solution
We use Raoult's Law, and calculate a solution vapor pressure of 16mmofHg.
Explanation: Raoult's Law tells us that in an ideal solution, the vapor pressure of a component is proportional to the mole fraction of that component in the solution.
Mole fraction of sucrose = Moles of sucrose / Moles of sucrose + moles of water.
Mole fraction of water: Xwater=112.3g18.01g⋅mol−1200g342.13g⋅mol−1+112.3g18.01g⋅mol−1=0.914
Note that by definition: Xsucrose+Xwater=1
Because sucrose is involatile, the vapor pressure of the solution is proportional to the mole fraction of water: Psolution=Xwater×17.5mmofHg=0.914×17.5mmofHg=16mmofHg