01 Why is the osmotic pressure of a NaCl solution higher than that of a glucose solution of the same concentration?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. NaCl dissociates into ions and gives more particles
Explanation: For dilute solutions, osmotic pressure is π = iCRT. NaCl is an electrolyte and ideally dissociates into Na⁺ and Cl⁻, so its i is approximately 2, whereas glucose is a non-electrolyte and remains as separate molecules with i approximately 1. At equal concentration and temperature, the larger particle number makes NaCl’s osmotic pressure higher.