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Multiple Choice

Which osmometer type uses vapor pressure as its measurement principle?

Vapor pressure osmometry relies on the fact that adding solute particles to a solvent lowers the solvent’s vapor pressure. This change in vapor pressure is a colligative property, meaning it depends on the number of solute particles, not their identity. In this type of osmometer, a small sample is placed in a closed chamber and the vapor pressure of the solvent above the sample is measured and compared to the vapor pressure of a reference or pure solvent. The difference in vapor pressure is translated, via calibration and Raoult’s law, into osmolality (osmolar concentration). This approach is distinct from methods that use freezing point depression or osmotic pressure across a membrane, and from calorimetry, which measures heat flow.

Vapor pressure osmometry relies on the fact that adding solute particles to a solvent lowers the solvent’s vapor pressure. This change in vapor pressure is a colligative property, meaning it depends on the number of solute particles, not their identity. In this type of osmometer, a small sample is placed in a closed chamber and the vapor pressure of the solvent above the sample is measured and compared to the vapor pressure of a reference or pure solvent. The difference in vapor pressure is translated, via calibration and Raoult’s law, into osmolality (osmolar concentration). This approach is distinct from methods that use freezing point depression or osmotic pressure across a membrane, and from calorimetry, which measures heat flow.