A colligative property is a property that depends on the number (but not type) of solute particles in solution.
none of these.
a property that does not change no matter how many particles are in solution.
a property that depends on the number and type of solute particles dissolved in solution.
a property that depends only on the type of solute particles in solution.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: a property that depends on the number and type of solute particles dissolved in solution.
Colligative properties are properties of solutions that depend on the number of solute particles in a given amount of solvent, but not on the identity or chemical nature of the solute particles. There are four main colligative properties: vapor pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmotic pressure.
To better understand, imagine dissolving two different solutes in equal amounts of solvent. If both solutes dissociate into the same number of particles, they will produce the same effect on the colligative property. For example, if you dissolve 1 mole of sodium chloride (NaCl), it dissociates into 2 moles of particles (Na+ and Cl-). If you dissolve 1 mole of glucose (C6H12O6), it does not dissociate, and you would have 1 mole of particles. Even though they are different solutes, the property will depend on the total number of particles in solution, not their identity.
In contrast, non-colligative properties depend on the specific type of solute particles. For instance, properties like color, taste, and chemical reactivity depend on the nature of the solute.
In colligative properties, the greater the number of solute particles in the solution, the greater the effect on the property. For example, adding more solute particles to a solvent can lower its vapor pressure or raise its boiling point. This is because the solute particles interfere with the solvent molecules, reducing the number of solvent molecules that can escape into the vapor phase.
Thus, colligative properties focus solely on the number of solute particles and not their chemical composition or type.