Eudiometry or Gas Analysis

Eudiometer – Special type of tube in which gaseous reaction are

carried out.
After exploding the gaseous mixture present in the eudiometer, the
volume of the produced gases is determined by absorbing them in
suitable reagents and this process is called Eudiometry.
 CO2 & SO2 are absorbed in KOH
 O2 is absorbed in alkaline pyragallol
 CO is absorbed in ammoniacle copper chloride
It is based on Avogadro’s law. Since H2O vapours produced during
the reaction changes to liquid on cooling that’s why the volume of
H2O is neglected.
 Solved Example
Q1: 20 ml of a gaseous hydrocarbon was burnt completely in 160 ml of O2 at
NTP. The remaining gas occupied 140 ml at NTP. This volume became 100
ml on treatment with KOH solution. What is the formula of the
hydrocarbon?
Sol: Let hydrocarbon be CxHy
Cx H y  O2  CO2  H2O
Initial volume was 140 ml and volume became 100 ml on treatment with
KOH, it means volume of CO2 is 40 ml and rest 100 ml will be remaining O2.
Cx H y  O2  CO2  H 2 O
20 ml 60 ml 40 ml
20 moles 60 moles 40 moles

Applying POAC for C atoms

x  moles of Cx H y  1 moles of CO2
x  20  1 40
x2
 Solved Example

Applying POAC for O atoms

2  moles of O2  2  moles of CO2  1  moles of H 2 O
2  60  2  40  moles of H 2 O
moles of H 2 O  40

Applying POAC for H atoms

y  moles of Cx H y  2  moles of H 2 O
y  20  2  40
y4

The formula of the hydrocarbon is C2 H 4

 Unsolved Examples
Q2: 20 ml of a gaseous hydrocarbon is exploded with excess of oxygen.
Before cooling total volume was 240 ml. After cooling volume of
resulting gaseous mix was reduced by 80 ml. When KOH is added,
there was a further decrease of 60 ml in the volume. What is the
volume of O2 initially taken?
[Ans: 200 ml]

Q3: 22 ml of a gaseous Hydrocarbon was burn 150 ml oxygen. On

cooling, the volume of the resulting mixture was reduced by 110
ml. When KOH was added, there was a further decreases of 88 ml
in the volume. What is the molecular formula of the compound
volume of O2 remained unreacted.
[Ans: C4H10 & 7 ml]