The Van’t Hoff factor ‘i’ accounts for:

The extent of dissociation of solute

The correct answer is option 1. The extent of dissociation of solute.

The Van't Hoff factor (\(i\)) is a factor used in colligative property calculations, particularly for solutions containing solutes that dissociate into ions when dissolved. It accounts for the extent of dissociation of the solute in the solution.

When a solute is dissolved in a solvent, it may or may not dissociate into ions. For example, when table salt (\(NaCl\)) is dissolved in water, it completely dissociates into sodium (\(Na^+\)) and chloride (\(Cl^-\)) ions. However, some solutes may only partially dissociate. For instance, weak electrolytes like acetic acid (\(CH_3COOH\)) only partially dissociate into ions in solution.

The Van't Hoff factor (\(i\)) quantifies the degree of dissociation by indicating how many particles one molecule of the solute generates in solution. For non-dissociating solutes, such as glucose, \(i\) is 1. For substances that dissociate completely into ions, like \(NaCl\), \(i\) is 2 because each \(NaCl\) molecule dissociates into two ions (one \(Na^+\) ion and one \(Cl^-\) ion).

In calculations involving colligative properties (properties that depend on the number of solute particles in a solution, like freezing point depression or boiling point elevation), the Van't Hoff factor is essential. It's used to adjust the concentration of the solute in the solution, considering the number of particles it generates.

In summary, the Van't Hoff factor (\(i\)) accounts for the extent of dissociation of the solute in the solution, which is crucial for accurately predicting the effects of solutes on colligative properties.