Boiling Point Elevation: HCl vs. Acetic Acid (CH3COOH)
The boiling point of a solution depends on the concentration of the solute particles in the solution. The more solute particles there are, the higher the boiling point. HCI is a strong acid, which means that it dissociates completely in water to form H+ and Cl- ions. HC2H3O2 is a weak acid, which means that it only partially dissociates in water to form H+ and CH3COO- ions. Therefore, HCI will produce more ions in solution than HC2H3O2, and will therefore have a greater effect on the boiling point of water. In other words, HCI will raise the boiling point of water more than HC2H3O2 does.