What does antifreeze change when mixed with water?

When antifreeze is mixed with water, it alters the specific gravity of the resulting solution. Specific gravity is a measure of the density of a substance compared to the density of water. Antifreeze, typically composed of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, has a different density than water. When combined, the overall density of the mixture changes, resulting in a specific gravity that reflects this new composition. This change is crucial in applications such as automotive cooling systems, where the specific gravity can impact the performance and efficiency of the cooling system.

While other properties such as viscosity, pH level, and boiling point may also be altered when antifreeze is mixed with water, they are not the most direct or defining change associated with the mixing process. The focus here centers on specific gravity as it pertains to the overall density of the mixture, which is a fundamental characteristic in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics relevant to electrical power production systems.