How does salt affect the boiling point of water molecules?
Adding salt (or any solute) to water will cause the boiling point to increase. Boiling point, freezing point, vapor pressure, and osmotic pressure are examples of colligative properties, which change in response to the number (but not the identity) of particles in solution. A liquid boils when its vapor pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure. At sea level, that’s 760 mmHg. Water’s vapor pressure reaches 760 mmHg at 100ºC, or 373 K. Adding solute particles to the water inhibits the water molecules’ movement and prevents them from escaping as vapor. The vapor pressure decreases as a result, and the solution has to reach a higher temperature than the pure solvent would in order to boil. I hope that helps. Good luck!
