Colligative Properties

When a solute is added to a pure solvent, some properties of the solution are changed. These properties are called colligative properties. The vapor pressure is lowered, the freezing point is lowered, and the boiling point is elevated because the solute particles on the surface of the solution are disrupting these processes. The solute particles prevent the particles of the pure solvent from being able to escape to become vapor and prevent the particles of the pure solvent from coming together to freeze. The identity of the particles does not matter at all, only how many. The more particles of solute in solution, the more the colligative properties are influenced.