SHORT EXPERIMENTS (First year)

Experiment 1: Prepare pure and dry crystals of benzoic acid by crystallization.

Principle:
“The removal of solid crystals from a solution by increasing its concentration above the saturation point in such
a way that the excess solid separates out in the form of crystals is called crystallization.” Benzoic acid is very
slightly soluble in water at room temperature but it is fairly soluble in hot water. Crystals of benzoic acid can be
obtained by cooling the hot saturated solution of benzoic acid.

Material Required:
Beaker, glass rod, funnel, tripod stand, filter paper, burner, Benzoic acid, Water

Procedure:
(i) 100 cm3 of distilled water was taken in a beaker and boiled on a tripod stand.
(ii) Maximum quantity of Benzoic acid was dissolved pinch by pinch in the boiling water with constant stirring
to get hot saturated solution of benzoic acid.
(iii) The solution was filtered and filtrate was cooled to get white crystals of benzoic acid
(iv) These crystals were separated by filtration and dried between the folds of filter paper.

Result:
Pure and dry crystals of benzoic acid were prepared and shown to the examiner. (After performance)

Experiment 2: Purify the given sample of impure sodium chloride by passing HCl gas.
Theory / Principle:
“The suppression of ionization of a weak electrolyte by adding a common ion from outside is called common
ion effect.”
The purification of impure sodium chloride by passing HCl gas through the saturated NaCl solution is based on
common ion effect. NaCl is fully ionized in the solution. When HCI gas is passed through saturated solution of
impure NaCl, the degree of ionization of NaCl is decreased and equilibrium is shifted towards the left. Thus,
pure NaCl is crystallized out and impurities remain in the solution.

Material Required:
Stand, Round bottom flask, Funnel, Beaker, Delivery tube,
Filter paper, Thistle funnel, Conc. H2SO4, sodium chloride

Procedure:
(i) Saturated solution of impure sodium chloride was
prepared and filtered to remove insoluble
impurities.
(ii) HCI gas was produced by the reaction of solid
NaCl and conc.H2SO4 in a round bottom flask as
shown by the diagram below.
→
(iii) HCI gas was passed through filtered NaCl
solution.
(iv) Pure NaCI was crystallized out due to common ion
effect.
(v) These crystals were separated by filtration and
dried between the folds of filter paper.

Result: Pure and dry crystals of NaCl were prepared and

shown to the examiner. (After performance)

Experiment 3: Separate the given mixture of inks by paper chromatography.

Theory / Principle:
Chromatography is a separation technique which involves the distribution of a solute between a stationary
phase and a mobile phase. In Paper chromatography, water present between the fibers of paper act as
stationary phase and the solvent used act as mobile phase. The components of a mixture are separated on
the basis of their affinity with stationary or mobile phase. Each component has a specific retardation factor
called Rf value that is the ratio of the distance travelled by solute to the distance travelled by solvent.

Material Required:
Whatman filter paper, chromatographic tank, capillary tube with jet, glass rod, Blue, green and red inks

Solvent or Mobile phase:

Mixture of ethanol and water in the ratio (3:1)

By: FEROZ AKHTAR (Lecturer in Chemistry Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur) Page 1
SHORT EXPERIMENTS (First year)

Procedure:
(i) A 20 cm strip of filter paper was taken and a base line was drawn with pencil about 2 cm above the edge of
paper.
(ii) Mobile phase was prepared by mixing 85cm3 ethanol and 15 cm3 distilled water and placed in the
chromatographic tank.
(iii) A spot of mixture of inks was placed at the base line on strip with the help of capillary jet.
(iv) The strip was dried and then suspended in the solvent for sufficient time.
(v) When solvent reached about 3/4" of the strip, the strip was removed from the solvent and dried.
(vi) The distance travelled by inks and the solvent was marked, developed strip is called chromatogram.
(vii) Rf value for each ink was calculated.

Observations and calculations:

Distance travelled by Distance travelled

Inks Rf value
the components (cm) by the solvent (cm)
Blue 2 cm 10 cm 0.2
Green 4 cm 10 cm 0.4
Red 6 cm 10 cm 0.6

Result: Mixture of inks was separated and Rf values of inks were calculated.

Experiment 4: Separate the given mixture of & by paper chromatography.

Theory / Principle:
Chromatography is a separation technique which involves the distribution of a solute between a stationary
phase and a mobile phase. In Paper chromatography, water present between the fibers of paper act as
stationary phase and the solvent used act as mobile phase. The components of a mixture are separated on
the basis of their affinity with stationary or mobile phase. Each component has a specific retardation factor
called Rf value that is the ratio of the distance travelled by solute to the distance travelled by solvent.

Material Required:
Whatman filter paper, chromatographic tank, capillary tube with jet, glass rod, 0.1% solution of &

Solvent or Mobile phase:

Mixture of ethanol, water and acetic acid in the ratio (2:1:2)
Locating reagent:
Aqueous solution of H2S gas
Procedure:
(i) A 20 cm strip of filter paper was taken and a base line was drawn with pencil about 2 cm above the edge of
paper.
(ii) Mobile phase was prepared by mixing 40cm3 ethanol, 20 cm3 distilled water and 40cm3 acetic acid and
placed in the chromatographic tank.
(iii) A spot of mixture of ions was placed at the base line on strip with the help of capillary jet.
(iv) The strip was dried and then suspended in the solvent for sufficient time.
(v) When solvent reached about 3/4" of the strip, the strip was removed from the solvent and dried.
(vi) Locating reagent was sprayed on the strip for development of coloured spots.
(vii) The distance travelled by each ion and the solvent was marked.
(viii) Rf value for each ion was calculated.

Observations and calculations:

Distance travelled by Distance travelled

Cations Colour Rf value
the components (cm) by the solvent (cm)
Brownish
3 cm 10 cm 0.3
black
yellow 5 cm 10 cm 0.5

Result: Mixture of inks was separated and Rf values of inks were calculated.

By: FEROZ AKHTAR (Lecturer in Chemistry Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur) Page 2