Question

Vapour pressure of pure water at 298 K is 23.8 mm Hg. 50 g of urea (NH₂CONH₂) is dissolved in 850 g of water. Calculate the vapour pressure of water for this solution and its relative lowering. 

Answer 1

It is given that vapour pressure of water, p^o = 23.8 mm of Hg 

Weight of water taken, w₁ = 850 g

 Weight of urea taken, w₂ = 50 g Molecular weight of water, M₁ = 18 g mol−¹ 

Molecular weight of urea, M₂ = 60 g mol−¹

 Now, we have to calculate vapour pressure of water in the solution. We take vapour pressure as p1.

 Now, from Raoult’s law, we have: 

Hence, the vapour pressure of water in the given solution is 23.4 mm of Hg and its relative lowering is 0.0173.