Chemistry lab experiment 2
Transcript of Chemistry lab experiment 2
Chemistry Lab Experiment 2
Reaction of Potassium Manganate with Oxalic acid
Mashiat and Kausar13B
Purpose of experiment• To carry out oxidation of hydrated
Oxalic acid (Ethanedioic acid) (H2C2O4.xH2O) by Potassium manganate (VII) (KMnO4) in the presence of acid by titration.
• To determine the value of x in H2C2O4.xH2O
2MnO4- (aq) + 5H2C2O4 (aq) + 6H+ (aq) 2Mn2+ (aq) + 10CO2(g) + 8H2O(l)
PROCEDURE
Reagents
FA1: 5.00 dm-3 of H2C2O4.xH2OFA2: 2.37 dm-3 of KMnO41.00 moldm-3 H2SO440 cm-3 distilled water
Apparatus used
BuretteBeaker PipetteBunsen burnerThermometer Conical flaskMeasuring cylinder
Method 1. Burette is filled with purple
KMnO4 solution.2. 25.0 cm3 of H2C2O4.xH2O
pipetted into conical flask.3. 25 cm3 of 1.00 moldm-3 of
H2S04 poured using measuring cylinder.
4. 40 cm3 distilled water added using measuring cylinder.
5. The flask is heated using Bunsen burner and temperature observed on thermometer till a little over 65◦C.
6. Flask placed under burette and titration carried out.
7. Flask is swirled continuously until end-point reached.
Results & Observation
1) A strong pungent smell was released when the acidified solution was heated using Bunsen burner. 2) On reaching end-point, the color of the solution turned from colorless to a permanent pale pink completing the oxidation of Oxalic acid. Hence, no indicator is required as KMnO4 acts as an indicator itself.
Conclusion• Volume of FA2 used with 25.0 cm3 of
FA1: 27.00 cm3 • Moles of KMnO4 used: 0.0004 mol• Moles of Oxalic acid reacted: 0.001
mol• Value of x in C2H2O4.xH2O: 1.95
mol
What I learnt• Potassium permanganate is a strong
oxidizing agent.• Excess dilute H2SO4 is needed, otherwise
it forms brown ppt. of hydrated manganese dioxide, interfering with obtaining the correct end-point.
• The oxidation reaction is slow in room temperature, so heating the acidified solution is required to speed up the rate. Heating also releases carbon dioxide that helps the reaction to be completed.
Safety Precautions
• The upper meniscus should be used for burette readings of colored solutions (KMnO4) as the lower meniscus isn’t clearly visible.
• Handle flask carefully while heating. Hold the neck of flask using folded paper towel if it’s too hot to hold safely.
• Wear gloves while heating and prevent skin contact with Oxalic acid as it’s corrosive.
• Potassium permanganate decomposes in bright light, and so cannot be exposed in these conditions for long.
Real-life Applications of Oxalate
• Reducing agent for development of photographic films.
• Bleaching agent for wood and stone. Wood turns grey when exposed to weather elements. When Oxalic acid is added to it, the natural color of wood is retained.
• Removing stains and rust. Oxalic acid is a gentle stain remover that effectively gets rid of stains without wearing the base away.
• Wastewater treatment as Oxalic acid can effectively remove Calcium from wastewater.
Critical-thinking question
Why is dilute H2SO4 added in KMnO4 titrations instead of HCl or HBr and HNO3?
Ans: Potassium manganate(VII) can't be used in titrations in the presence of ions like chloride or bromide as they consume some KMnO4 and liberate Cl2 and Br2 , while HNO3 is a stronger oxidizing agent than KMnO4 .