What is the effect of adding a non-volatile solute to a solvent?

When a non-volatile solute is added to a solvent, one significant effect is the elevation of the boiling point of the solution. This phenomenon occurs due to the colligative properties, which depend on the number of solute particles in the solution rather than their identity.

When a non-volatile solute is dissolved in a solvent, the solute particles disrupt the solvent's ability to vaporize. As a result, more heat (energy) is required to reach the boiling point because the presence of solute molecules decreases the number of solvent molecules at the surface, which in turn lowers the vapor pressure of the solution. According to Raoult's Law, the lower vapor pressure of the solvent above the solution means that a greater temperature must be reached to achieve a vapor pressure that equals atmospheric pressure, thus raising the boiling point.

This principle is fundamental in applications such as antifreeze solutions, where various solutes are intentionally added to modify the boiling and freezing points of the solvent to improve performance in cold conditions.