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  • Boiling Point Elevation: How Salts Like NaCl & CaCl2 Affect Water's Boiling Point
    Both NaCl (sodium chloride) and CaCl₂ (calcium chloride) will increase the boiling point of water. This is due to a phenomenon called boiling point elevation, which is a colligative property.

    Here's why:

    * Colligative properties: These properties of a solution depend solely on the number of solute particles present, not their specific identity.

    * Boiling point elevation: When a solute (like NaCl or CaCl₂) is dissolved in a solvent (like water), it disrupts the solvent's vapor pressure. To reach the boiling point (where vapor pressure equals atmospheric pressure), the solution needs to be heated to a higher temperature than pure water.

    Important Note:

    * Dissociation: NaCl and CaCl₂ dissociate into ions in water. NaCl forms two ions (Na⁺ and Cl⁻), while CaCl₂ forms three ions (Ca²⁺ and 2Cl⁻). The more ions produced, the greater the effect on boiling point elevation.

    * Molality: The extent of boiling point elevation is directly proportional to the molality of the solution (moles of solute per kilogram of solvent). A more concentrated solution will have a higher boiling point.

    In summary:

    Adding NaCl or CaCl₂ to water will raise its boiling point. The effect is greater with CaCl₂ due to its higher number of ions upon dissociation. The magnitude of the effect depends on the concentration of the solution.

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