Republic of the Philippines

Batangas State University

College of Arts and Sciences
Batangas City

Properties of Hydrates

Rafael Tristan R. Garcia, Diana Elizabeth M. Manalo,

Philip Aaron I. Manalo, Ma. Chinie S. Manguiat

ABSTRACT

Hydrates are ionic compounds that have water molecules incorporated into their solid
structure. When heating a hydrate, the water molecules tend to drive off, and the residue or the
solid that is left is what we call anhydrous, which means a substance that does not contain water.
Upon prolonged heating, this hydrate loses its waters of hydration along with its color. The
formula of a hydrate may be determined by dehydrating a known mass of a hydrate, then
compare its mass to the original hydrate and with the resulting anhydrous solid. The objectives of
this experiment were to identify the following substances if they are hydrates: NiCl 2, KCl, borax,
sucrose, CaCO3, and BaCl2. Then, observe color changes as cobalt chloride (CoCl 2) loses and
gains water (H2O) and determine the percentage solution of HNO 3 and H2O. In this experiment,
it was identified that NiCl2, Borax, and BaCl2 are considered to be hydrates. On the other hand,
KCl, Sucrose, and CaCO3 are not hydrates. Also, it was observed that when CoCl 2 changed color
as it loses water or heated. Its color after heating changed from red to blue, then, when the
substance was dissolved in water or it gains water, blue turned back to its original color, red.
Lastly, it was determined that the percentage solution of HNO 3 was 77.26 %, while the
percentage solution of H2O was 22.24%.

Keywords: Hydrates, ionic compounds, anhydrous solid

INTRODUCTION deep blue color. Solid compounds that

When ionic compound is crystallized
in a water solution, the resultant solid
crystals may seem to be dry. When those
substance are heated, the mass of the solid
may reduce as the water evaporate from the
crystal structure. The appearance of the
crystal may change and, in some cases, even
their color changes an example of this is
when cobalt (II) chloride hexahydrate is
heated, from a deep rose color it turns into a
contains water are called hydrates. This
water is included with the chemical formula
of the compound because there is a set ratio
of water to compound [1].
A hydrate is a pure substance since it
has water molecules in its crystal structure
that remains unchanged. When heating a
hydrate, the water molecules tend to drive
off, and the residue or the solid that is left is
what we call anhydrous, which means a
substance that does not contain water. The water evaporated is defined by subtracting
anhydrous will have a different texture and the mass of the original hydrate to the mass
structure and may have a different color of the anhydrous solid [3]:
compared to the hydrate [2].
mH2O=mHydrate − mAnhydrous Solid
Example:
To get the number of moles of water,
the mass of water should be divided by the
molar mass of water [3]:
mH 2O
n H 2O=
MM H 2O
While the number of moles of the
anhydrous solid can be calculated by
dividing the mass of the anhydrous solid to
Hydrates are highly soluble in water. the molar mass of the anhydrous solid [3]:
When a hydrate is dissolved, the anhydrous
compound will have a color that similar to m Anhydrous Solid
n Anhydrous Solid=
the original hydrate. The majority of the MM Anhydrous Solid
hydrates are stable at room temperature, but
some hydrates naturally lose water, they are To determine the formula of the
what we called as efflorescent [3].   Hydrate, the number of moles of water per
A hydrates chemical formula mole of anhydrous solid (xx) will be
specifies the number of H2O or water calculated by dividing the number of moles
molecules and also the relative number of of water by the number of moles of the
each kind of atoms that is present. Sodium anhydrous solid [3].
carbonate decahydrate is one example of a nH 2O
x=
hydrate, its chemical formula is n Anhydrous Solid
Na2CO3 · 10H2O. The dot indicates in the
chemical formula is that the ten water OBJECTIVES
molecules (H2O) are bound or attached to This experiment aims to:
the Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) ions by a 1. Identify the following substances if
weak chemical bond. It is already specified they are hydrates:
above that once a hydrate is heated the water a. NiCl2
molecules will be removed, corresponding b. KCl
to this when the Sodium carbonate c. Borax
decahydrate is heated the water molecules d. Sucrose
present will be removed (see below). e. CaCO3
heat
f. BaCl2
Na2CO3 · 10H2O Na2CO3 +10 H2O
2. Observe color changes as cobalt
Formula of Hydrate chloride (CoCl2) loses and gains
The formula of a hydrate may be water (H2O).
determined by dehydrating a known mass of 3. Determine the percentage solution of
a hydrate, then compare its mass to the HNO3 and H2O.
original hydrate and with the resulting
anhydrous solid. The formula of mass of
MATERIALS USED
Part A
 Nickel chloride
 Potassium chloride
 Sodium tetraborate or Borax
 Sucrose
 Calcium carbonate
 Barium chloride
 Test tube
 Bunsen burner
 test tube holder
 water
Part B
 Cobalt (II) chloride hexahydrate
 Evaporating dish
 Clamp stand
 Wire gauze
 Ring stand
 Bunsen burner
 Test tube holder
 Water
Part C
 4 watch glasses
 Washing soda (Na2CO3. 10H2O)
 Calcium chloride
 Potassium aluminium
(KAl(SO4)2·12H2O)
 Copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4)
Part D
 Crucible and cover
 Hydrogen nitrate (HNO3)
 Ring stand
 Clay triangle
 Weighing scale
 Bunsen burner
 Tongs
 Stirring rod
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Part A
1. Make sure to wear proper PPE
2. Prepare all the chemicals needed
3. Heat each sample gently.
4. After heating, let the samples cool
down
5. Once the samples cool, add a few ml
of water.
NOTE: hydrates tends to dissolve in
water. When hydrates dissolves, it
tends to revert back to its original
color.
6. Heat samples if necessary
Part B
1. Add about 0.3g of cobalt (II)
chloride hexahydrate to an
evaporating dish
2. Heat gently, watching for a complete
color change (deep rose color to
blue)
3. Once the color the change, dissolve
the residue in a few ml of water
(pink)
4. Heat the solution until the crystal are
dry- as the substance cool down it
changes o color blue to purple
sulfate Part C
1. Prepare four watch glasses
2. Weigh each sample
3. Observe any changes to the crystals
over a period of one hour
4. After one hour, determine if a color
change occurred and weigh the
samples again
Part D
1. Clean a crucible and its cover with 6
m HNO3
 2. Rinse with water and follow the Barium No color No color
cleaning procedure outlines in the Chloride change, change,
lab manual Condensation Dissolves
3. Weigh crucible and it cover observed
4. Weigh again after adding 1g of the Part B:
hydrate sample
Substance Heating Adding Heating
5. Set up the crucible on a clay triangle Water the
6. Heat the sample gently, then strongly Solution
for 10 minutes CoCl2 Red to Blue to Red to
7. Weigh the crucible and it contents Blue Red Violet
again after cooling Part C:
8. Observe the solid residue. The
crystal has a harder appearance Substance Mass after Texture
9. Add water until the crucible is 2/3 an hour
full, the stir the substance until Na2CO3 • 10 -0.005g Dry
sample dissolves. H2O
CaCl2 +0.005g Wet
RESULTS KAl (SO4)2 • -0.005g Dry
Part A: Identification of Hydrates 12H2O
CuSO4 -0.005g Wet
Substance Heating Adding of Part D:
Water
Nickel Color Color Since water is only one gram, it would be
chloride Change Change the limiting agent:
(Green to (Yellow to
Yellow) Green)
Condensation Dissolves
observed And after having 0.555 mol H3NO4, not all 6
Potassium No color No color mol of H3NO4 will be trapped
chloride change, change,
No Dissolves Therefore,
condensation
observed
Sodium No color No color The percentage solution of HNO3;
tetraborate change, change, 3.497
x 100=77.26 %
(Borax) Condensation Dissolves 4.497
observed
Sucrose A reaction No color And the percentage solution of H2O;
occurs change, 1
x 100=22.24 %
Condensation Dissolves 4.497
observed
DISCUSSION
Calcium No color No color
carbonate change, change, Hydrates commonly change their
No Does not color once it is heated. The color of a
condensation dissolves substance before and after heating are
observed connected or closed to each other. If a
substance changes undergoes color change
when heated, it may be a hydrate. In order to
make sure it is a hydrate; it must go back to
its original color when dissolve in water.
Heated hydrates also have visible
condensation on the top of its container
since water is being release. Lastly, a
hydrate is soluble or can dissolve in water.
In Part A, only NiCl2, Borax, and
BaCl2 are considered to be hydrate. NiCl2
undergoes color change, condensation, and
is soluble to water. NiCl2 changes from
green to yellow after heating then goes back
to green when dissolve to water. Satisfying
the properties of a hydrate. Borax and BaCl2
are white powder substances that do not
change its color when heated but
condensation is seen on top of their
containers and are soluble to water making it
them hydrates. KCl, Sucrose, and CaCO3.
KCl and CaCO3 are both insoluble and
condensation was not seen during their
heating because of this, it would not be
considered as a hydrate. While sucrose had a
reaction that also had a condensation after. It
is not a hydrate since it does not go back to
its original color when dissolve to water.
In Part B, CoCl2 shows the property
of a hydrate in terms of color change. The
color of the substance change from red to
blue after heating then turns back to red
when dissolve in water. And goes back to
blue again when the solution is heated. A
hydrate will change it color when it loses
H2O but will go back when it gains H2O.
In Part C, both Na2CO3 • 10 H2O and
KAl (SO4)2 • 12H2O became dry and loses
0.005 grams since it loses water when
exposed. With these, both hydrates are
efflorescent. While both CaCL2 and CuSO4
becomes wet and gains 0.005 grams since it
accepts water. With these, both substances
are hygroscopic.
CONCLUSIONS
At the end of the experiment, it was
concluded that:
1. It was identified that NiCl2, Borax,
and BaCl2 are considered to be
hydrates. On the other hand, KCl,
Sucrose, and CaCO3 are not
hydrates.
2. It was observed that when CoCl2
changed color as it loses water or
heated. Its color after heating
changed from red to blue, then, when
the substance was dissolved in water
or it gains water, blue turned back to
its original color, red.
3. It was determined that the percentage
solution of HNO3 was 77.26 %,
while the percentage solution of H2O
was 22.24%.

REFERENCES
[1]
Orenstein, K. (2010, August 4). Hydrates- Concept. Retrieved from brightstorm:
https://www.brightstorm.com/science/chemistry/chemical-bonds/hydrates/
[2]
LibreTexts. (2019, July 8). Hydrates. Retrieved from LibreTexts:
https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Arkansas_Little_Rock/Chem_1402%3
A_General_Chemistry_1_(Kattoum)/Text/2%3A_Atoms%2C_Molecules
%2C_and_Ions/2.12%3A_Hydrates
[3]
Libretexts. (2020, June 30). Properties of Hydrates. Retrieved from Libretexts:
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Ancillary_Materials/Laboratory_Experiments/W
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1_Experiments/05%3A_Properties_of_Hydrates_(Experiment)