What effect does an increase in solute particles have on the freezing point?

An increase in solute particles causes a phenomenon known as freezing point depression. When a solute is added to a solvent, it disrupts the orderly arrangement of the solvent molecules as they come together to form a solid (ice). This disruption requires the solution to reach a lower temperature than the pure solvent to achieve the same level of order needed for freezing. Essentially, the more solute particles present in the solvent, the more significant the drop in freezing point.

This property is a colligative property, meaning it depends primarily on the number of solute particles present in the solution, not the identity of the solute itself. As solute concentration increases, the interactions among the particles lead to a lowering of the temperature at which the solution will freeze, resulting in depression of the freezing point. Hence, the correct answer reflects this effect accurately.