Experiment No.

GRAVIMETRIC DETERMINATION
OF CALCIUM ION
Objective

At the end of this laboratory work, you should be able to determine the calcium
content of an aqueous solution

Reagents

 0.1 M HCl
 Known CaCl2 solution
 Solid urea
 0.33 M (NH3)2C2O4

Apparatus

 150 mL beaker
 desiccator
 Erlenmeyer flask
 funnel
 graduated cylinder
 hot plate
 laboratory oven
 pipet
 stirring rod
 wash bottle
 watch glass

Procedure

1. Pipet 25 mL aliquot of the known CaCl2 solution into 250 mL beaker.

2. Dilute each sample with 75 mL of 0.1 M HCl and 5 drops methyl red indicator.
3. Add slowly 25 mL of 0.33 M (NH3)2C2O4 solution with constant stirring.
4. Add 15 g urea, cover the beaker with watch glass and boil very gently for
about 30 minutes or until the solution turns yellow.
5. Filter the hot solutions through a filter paper whose constant weight has been
initially obtained.
6. Dry the filter paper in an oven at 105 ºC for at least one hour.
7. Transfer the filter paper in the desiccator.
 8. Obtain the weight of the filter paper with the solid CaC 2O4.H2O.

Note:

The filter paper with precipitate can be disposed into the trash can.

Pertinent equation:
Ca2+(aq) + C2O4 2-(aq) + H2O(l) CaC2O4·H2O (s)

REPORT SHEET

Determination of Calcium Ion Concentration

Volume of the sample used

Weight of the filter paper before

filtration

Weight of the filter paper after

filtration

Weight of the precipitate

Mole of the precipitate

Molarity of Calcium

True value

Percent error