Experiment 5 Adsorption Isotherm

The main aim of this experiment is to measure the adsorbing capacity of

charcoal (carbon impure with ash, which is the residue of other materials after
they are burned)
This experiment is similar to a back titration.
A specific weight of charcoal is added to a defined amount of oxalic acid (Total
oxalic acid).
The charcoal adsorbs some of the oxalic acid.
The oxalic acid left over is reacted with KMNO 4 (Excess oxalic acid)
Total oxalic acid- Excess oxalic acid = Oxalic acid adsorbed by charcoal

1. Balanced stoichiometric equation

5H2C2O4 + 2(MnO4)- + 6H+ 10CO2 + 2Mn2+ + 8H2O

2. Calculate the initial molarity of the oxalic acid in each bottle

0.05M oxalic acid was used
Bottle
Numb
er
1
2
3
4
5
6

Volume of
oxalic Acid
(mL)
100
80
60
40
20
10

Volume of
water (mL)
0
20
40
60
80
90

Diluition factor
of Oxalic Acid
none
4 in 5
3 in 5
2 in 5
1 in 5
1 in 10

For example if 4 in 5, multiply the original concentration (0.05M) by 4/5

This gives us;
Ininitial Molarity (M)
c
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0.005
3. Calculate the number of moles of oxalic acid in each bottle
1

The previous values are moles per litre, therefore we must divide by 10 (because
100ml is used, not a litre);
Number of
moles (mol)
0.005
0.004
0.003
0.002
0.001
0.0005

4. Calculate the grams of oxalic acid, originally in solution

Convert this to grams per 100ml, by multiplying by the molecular weight of
oxalic acid
Total Oxalic
Acid
Weight of
Oxalic acid
(g)
0.45015
0.36012
0.27009
0.18006
0.09003
0.045015
5. Calculate the amount of charcoal adsorbed per gram (x/m)
First convert titres to litres;
Bottl
e
Numb
er
1
2
3
4
5
6

Total
titratio
n
volume
(L)
0.0496
0.04034
0.029
0.0191
0.01155
0.00679

How many moles of KMnO4 does this correspond to? Molarity x vol (l) = no.
of moles

Moles KMnO4
used
0.000496
0.0004034
0.00029
0.000191
0.0001155
0.0000679
Use the reaction ratio from the balanced equation (5:2) to give no. of
moles of oxalic acid
moles of O.A. in
excess
0.00124
0.0010085
0.000725
0.0004775
0.00028875
0.00016975
Multiply by molecular weight of Oxalic acid to give; grams of oxalic acid in
excess

EXCESS
O.A.
Grams of
O.A.
0.1116
0.090765
0.06525
0.042975
0.0259875
0.0152775

Amount absorbed is grams in

100ml (total oxalic acid) excess oxalic acid = oxalic acid absorbed
O.A. ADSORBED BY
CHARCOAL (g)
x
0.33855
0.269235
0.20484
0.1370625
0.0640425
3

0.0297375

Divide by mass/ weight of charcoal (m) to give amount adsorbed per gram
O.A. Adsorbed Per Gram Of
Charcoal
x/m
0.167956541
0.133337459
0.099858626
0.067994097
0.031690089
0.014449006

6. Plot (x/m) vs c

(x/m) is given in 5
C is given in 2

Amount of Oxalic Acid Adsorbed Per Gram of Charcoal (x/m) versus Concentration of Oxalic Acid (c)
0.18
0.16

f(x) = 3.4x - 0
R = 1

0.14

O.A. Adsorbed per

gram of charcoal x/m

0.12
0.1

x/m (g) 0.08

Linear (O.A. Adsorbed

per gram of charcoal
x/m)

0.06
0.04
0.02
0

0.02 0.04 0.06

c (M)

7. Calculate and plot log (x/m) vs log c

This can be done on excel
4

f(x) = NaN ln(x)

R = NaN
-2.4

Log x/m

Log x/m versus Log c

-2.2

-2

-1.8

f(x) = 1.06x + 0.61

R = 1

Log c

-1.6

-1.4

0
-1.2
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1
-1.2
-1.4
-1.6
-1.8
-2