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Isotonic Solutions & Percentage Dissociation of K2SO4 | CHEMCA

Isotonic Solutions & Percentage Dissociation of K2SO4 | CHEMCA

Percentage Dissociation in Isotonic Solutions: K2SO4 and Glucose

Published by Abhishek Sengar | CHEMCA India

In the Solutions chapter, JEE and NEET examiners love to test two concepts simultaneously. A classic example is combining Osmotic Pressure with the Van't Hoff Factor to find the percentage dissociation of a salt.

Let's break down a highly repetitive Previous Year Question (PYQ) step-by-step.

Video Tutorial: Solving the Isotonic Numericals

Watch Abhishek Sengar sir from CHEMCA demonstrate the mathematical workflow to effortlessly arrive at the final percentage.

Step-by-Step Problem Breakdown

Problem Statement:

A 0.004 M K2SO4 solution is isotonic with a 0.01 M Glucose solution. Find the percentage dissociation of K2SO4.

Key Concept: Isotonic Solutions
Two solutions are isotonic if they exert the exact same Osmotic Pressure (π) across a semi-permeable membrane at the same temperature. Therefore:
π1 = π2
  1. Set up the Osmotic Pressure Equation:
    The formula for osmotic pressure is π = iCRT. (Where i is the Van't Hoff factor, C is concentration, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature).
    π(K2SO4) = π(Glucose)
    i1 · C1 · RT = i2 · C2 · RT
    Since R and T are constants, they cancel out, leaving us with:
    i1 · C1 = i2 · C2
  2. Find the Van't Hoff factor (i) for K2SO4:
    Glucose is a non-electrolyte. It does not dissociate in water, so its Van't Hoff factor (i2) is exactly 1. Plug in the given concentrations:
    i1 × 0.004 = 1 × 0.01
    i1 = 0.01 / 0.004 = 10 / 4 = 2.5
  3. Ionize K2SO4 to find 'n':
    To use the dissociation formula, we need to know how many maximum ions one molecule of Potassium Sulfate can produce (n).
    K2SO4 → 2 K+ + SO42-
    It produces two K+ ions and one SO42- ion. Total ions: n = 3.
  4. Calculate the Degree of Dissociation (α):
    We apply the master formula for dissociation: α = (i - 1) / (n - 1)
    α = (2.5 - 1) / (3 - 1)
    α = 1.5 / 2 = 0.75
K2SO4 0.004 M i = 2.5 Glucose 0.01 M i = 1 (Fixed) = Isotonic π1 = π2   →   i1C1 = i2C2

Fig: Equating the effective concentration (i × C) of two Isotonic solutions.

Percentage Dissociation = α × 100 = 0.75 × 100 = 75%

Practice Questions for JEE & NEET

Verify your grasp on isotonic solutions and osmotic pressure with these conceptual checks.

Question 1: A 0.1 M solution of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) is found to be isotonic with a 0.2 M solution of Urea at the same temperature. Assuming NaCl undergoes complete dissociation, is this data experimentally correct? Show mathematically.

Answer: Yes, the data is correct.

Reasoning:

  • For solutions to be isotonic, their effective concentrations (i \cdot C) must be equal.
  • For Urea: It is a non-electrolyte, so i = 1.
    Effective concentration = 1 \times 0.2 = 0.2 \text{ M}.
  • For NaCl: It undergoes complete dissociation into Na+ and Cl-, so i = n = 2.
    Effective concentration = 2 \times 0.1 = 0.2 \text{ M}.
  • Since 0.2 \text{ M} = 0.2 \text{ M}, their osmotic pressures are equal, proving they are isotonic.

Question 2: What happens to a human red blood cell (RBC) when it is placed into a solution that is Hypertonic compared to the intracellular fluid?

Answer: The cell will shrink (Plasmolysis / Crenation).

Reasoning:

A "Hypertonic" solution has a higher solute concentration (and thus higher osmotic pressure) than the fluid inside the red blood cell. Due to Osmosis, solvent (water) always flows through a semi-permeable membrane from the region of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. Thus, water will flow out of the RBC, causing it to shrivel and collapse.

Crush Physical Chemistry Numericals!

Don't let lengthy calculations ruin your exam speed. Visit www.chemca.in today to access Abhishek Sir's complete mock tests and shortcut methods specifically designed for JEE Main & NEET.

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