MIDLANDS STATE

UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES I

CODE: CT104

SESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS
MAY-JUNE 2014

DURATION: 3 hours

INSTRUCTIONS
AnswerQuestion No. land Any Three from the remaining
questions

1
 ' QUESTION 1

(a) What is pNa for a solution of 1.066 x 10-3 M Na2CO3? [5 marks]

(b) A 25 g sample is known to contain 10 % calcium (by mass) in one of two forms (as stated),

either CaO or CaC2O4 (not both). For each of the two possible forms, calculate the number of

moles of calcium in the sample. [6 marks]

(c) Three students weigh a petri dish on a laboratory analytical balance and obtain masses of

31.1033 g, 31.1033 g and 31.1035 g. The true weight is 31.103486 g.

• i. What kind of error does this represent? [1 mark]

ii. How can this type of error be avoided? [4 marks]

iii. Calculate the absolute error of the mean. [3 marks]

iv. Calculate the absolute error for each measurement. [6 marks]

QUESTION 2

(a) With the aid of an example, describe the steps involved in gravimetric analysis of a sample.

[15 marks]

(b) Describe the main methods used for end point detection in acid - base titrations. Comment on

• the strengths and weaknesses of each method. [10 marks]

QUESTION 3

(a) The class B 10 ml pipette is used to deliver eight successive volumes shown in Table 2.

2
 Table 2: Experimentally determined volumes delivered by a 10 ml Class B pipette

Trial Volume / ml Trial Volume / ml

1 10.002 5 9.983

2 9.993 6 9.991

3 9.984 7 9.990

4 9.996 8 9.988

i. Calculate the absolute and relative errors for the given volumes. [8 marks]

• ii. What could be causing these errors?

(b) In precipitation reactions, what is the effect of relative supersaturation?

[3 marks]

[4 marks]

(c) Describe the optimum conditions necessary for low supersaturation? [10 marks]

QUESTION 4

(a) What are the reasons for drying a precipitate in gravimetric analysis? [4 marks]

(b) Describe the process of digestion. [4 marks]

(c) What percent of formic acid (HCOOH) is dissociated in a 0.1 M solution of formic acid?

The Ka of formic acid is 1.77 x 10-4. [8 marks]

• (d) AgNO3 (aq) + KC1 (aq) -- AgC1 (s) + KNO3 (aq)

i. What type of reaction is shown above? [1 mark]

ii. Write the ionic equation for the reaction above. [2 marks]

iii. Describe the theory and applications of precipitation reactions. [6 marks]

QUESTION 5

(a) Silver nitrate can be photo reduced to insoluble silver metal and nitrogen oxide gases as

shown below;
 AgNO3 (s) + hv —> Ag(s) + gases

An analyst weighed out 5.00 g of solid AgNO3 and made up a solution of 500.0 ml in a

volumetric flask. If 2% of the AgNO3 moles had been reduced to silver metal;

i. What would be the molarity (not taking the reduction into account) of the silver nitrate

that the analyst would calculate?

ii. What is the actual molarity?

iii. What is the absolute error in the molarity?

•
iv. What is the relative percent error in the molarity? [2x4 marks]

(b) Compounds of arsenic are often used as pesticides. The arsenic content of a pesticide can be

determined by dissolving the pesticide in a suitable solvent and precipitating the arsenic as

arsenic sulfide, As2S3. If 0.312 g of arsenic sulfide can be obtained from 2.25 g of pesticide then

what is the percentage of arsenic in the pesticide? [7 marks]

(c) With the aid of an example, describe the Mohr titrations. In your answer include its strengths,

limitations and applications. [10 marks]

•

END OF QUESTION PAPER