Question

Pure water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C. Would tap water likely freeze and boil at those exact temperatures? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Recall the colligative properties of freezing point depression and boiling point elevation.

In proportion to the molality product of the solute, (`im`), the boiling point will raise and the freezing point will decrease.

Now, consider tap water. You know this!

Is tap water pure water? Of course not! It's a solution of many ions of metals or other inorganic compounds.

Hence, it has a varied boiling and melting point, by definition.