Raoult's law
Raoult's law is a principle in chemistry that describes how the vapor pressure of a solvent changes when a non-volatile solute is added to it. Specifically, it states that the vapor pressure of the solvent above the solution is proportional to the number of solvent molecules present. In simple terms, when you dissolve something in a liquid, like sugar in water, the overall tendency of the liquid to evaporate decreases because some of the liquid is replaced by the solute. This law helps explain behaviors of solutions and is important in various scientific and industrial applications.
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Raoult's Law states that in a solution, the vapor pressure of a solvent above the solution is directly related to the concentration of the solvent in that solution. Specifically, the more solute you add to a solvent, the lower the vapor pressure becomes because the solvent molecules are replaced by solute molecules. This principle helps explain behaviors in various solutions, such as why saltwater evaporates less quickly than pure water. It's significant in fields like chemistry and engineering, affecting everything from food preservation to the design of chemical processes.