Which colligative property is most suitable for experimentally determining the molar mass of biological macromolecules like proteins and DNA?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Osmotic pressure
- Step 1: Biological macromolecules have huge molar masses (10^4 to 10^6 g/mol), yielding very small molal concentrations. Step 2. Boiling or freezing changes are imperceptibly small and heat denatures proteins, whereas osmotic pressure produces easily measurable liquid column heights at room temperature. Answer: Osmotic pressure. Why not the others: Boiling elevation denatures proteins; freezing depression produces unmeasurably tiny fractions of a millidegree; vapor pressure lowering is negligible.
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