Eudiometry :

The analysis of gaseous mixtures is called eudiometry. The gases are identified by absorbing them in
specified and specific reagents.
Some Common Facts :
a) Air is consideres as mixture of nitrogen and oxygen.
b) Nitrogen is unreactive gas at low temperature
c) If a hydrocarbon is burnt, gases liberated will be CO2 & H2O.
d) Water will be separated by cooling. On cooling if volume contracts it is due to water which liquifie
e) Aqueous NaOH or KOH will absorb Carbondioxide
f) Pyrogallol will absorb oxygen
g) Turpentine oil will absorb Ozone
h) total contraction in reaction mixture = {volume of reactants} – {volume of products + volume of unused
species excluding volume of H2O}.

Examples

1) 1 litre of a mixture of CO and CO2 is taken. This mixture is passed through a tube containing red hot
charcoal. The volume now becomes 1.6 litres. The volumes are measured under the same conditions.
Find the composition of the mixture by volume.

Ans. CO2 = 0.6 lt, CO = 0.4 lt

Sol. CO2 + C  2CO
At t = 0 x L (1 – x) L
At = t 0 2x L
1 – x + 2x = 1.6
1 + x = 1.6
x = 0.6 L
1 – x = 0.4 L
2) When 100 ml of a O2 – O3 mixture was passed through turpentine, there was reduction of volume by 20
ml. If 100 ml of such a mixture is heated, what will be the increase in volume? [Hint: O3 is absorbed by
turpentine]
Ans. 10 ml
Sol. In the mix., volume of O3 = 20 ml
Volume of O2 = 80 ml
on heating 2O3  3O2
3
20 ml O3 will give × 20 = 30 ml O2
2
total volume = 80 + 30 = 110 ml
increase in volume = 110 – 100 = 10 ml.
3) A mixture of formic acid and oxalic acid is heated with concentrated H2SO4. The gases produced are
collected and on its treatment with KOH solution the volume of the gas decreased by one-sixth. Calculate
the molar ratio of the two acids in the original mixture. [Hint : H2SO4 is a dehydrating agent. HCOOH
produces H2O and CO; H2C2O4 produces H2O, CO2 and CO]

Ans. 4:1
Sol. HCOOH  H2O + CO
a mole 0 0
a a
 H2C2O4  H2O + CO + CO2
b mole 0 0 0
b b b
H2O absorb by H2SO4 and CO2 absorbed by KOH
volume of CO2 / total volume = b/a + 2b = 1/6
a/b = 4/1
the molar ratio of HCOOH and H2C2O4 is 4 : 1.
4) A gaseous alkane is exploded with oxygen. The volume of O2 for complete combustion to CO2 formed is
in the ratio 7/4. The molecular formula of alkane is :
 y y
sol. CxHy +  x   O2  xCO2 + HO
 4 2 2

y
x 7
4 =
x 4

y 3 y 3
= =
4x 4 x 1