Surname & Initials: Vezi A.

Name of Lecture: Dr TH Mokhothu

Student number: 22029908
Date of experiment: 05/05/2021
Group: B
Experiment 3
 PREPARATION OF THE DOUBLE SALT AMMONIUM COPPER (II) SULPHATE.
Aim:
To prepare the double salt ammonium copper (II)sulphate.
Theory:
In this experiment we were required to prepare a double salt ammonium copper (II) sulphate, a
double salt is a salt that consists more than one cation or more than one anion, other examples
of double salts are salts like Alums, Tutton’s salts, Potassium sodium tartrate, Ammonium iron
(II) sulfate (Morh’s salt). Double salts only exist in as solid state, when dissolved in water it
completely dissolves into simple ions, it acts as a mixture of the two separate salts. They are a
bit different from mixed-crystal systems, where salts co-crystalize to form a single compound.
Double salts are mostly used to keep pickles crisp and is also a mildly acidic component of some
baking powders.
Experimental:
150 ml beaker, Glass rod, Stove, Filter paper, Hot water, Copper (II) sulphate pentahydrate,
Ammonium Sulphate.
Procedure: 4g of copper (II) sulphate pentahydrate was dissolved in 10 ml of hot water
together with 2g of ammonium sulphate. The solution was then cooled, and the crystals were
then filtered at the pump. The solution filtered was then taken and evaporated about 5 ml of it.
Then it was cooled, filtered and dried and the second crop crystal was obtained, the masses of
the two products were weighed.
Results:
Sample 1 = 1.9146g
Sample 2 = 1.0855g

𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑
%𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑆2 = × 100
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑
1.0855𝑔
=
6𝑔
=18.09%
Answers to questions:
 1. I used the second crop crystal because it has less impurities since the solution is boiled
before being filtered again to form the second crop of crystals.
2. When the solution was boiled its quantity decreased because most of it evaporated.
3. An ammonium ion can be detected by reacting the ammonium ion with sodium
hydroxide, the ammonia gas can be detected by a smelling odor of vapor. The sulfate
ion can be tested by acidifying the solution with dilute hydrochloric acid and then a few
drops of barium chloride and a white precipitate of barium sulfate will form if the
sulfate ions are present.
4. A clathrate is a chemical substance consisting of a lattice that traps or contains
molecules and a salt consists more than one cation or more than one anion.
Discussion:

In the experiment the formation of the double salt Ammonium copper (II) sulphate
hexahydrate was observed after the dissolving of the two reagents the solution took on a blue
colour due to the formation of Cu+ ions in the solution. The double salt formed larger blue
crystals than the crystal size of its constituents, a usual characteristic of a double salt. The
actual yield of this product is less than half of the theoretical yield which can be attributed to
errors such as time spent on the heat plate, and excess evaporation of the second heating of
the filtrate, not enough time for crystallisation could also add to lower actual yield than
theoretical yield gained. The resulting double salt that has colour range of bright blue to light
blue, light blue being the second filtration and bright blue the initial filtration.
Concussion:
A crop-crystals were formed from the copper (II) sulphate pentahydrate and ammonium
sulphate to give a percentage yield of 18.09%.
References:

• Tevin Krishnna.2016. Preparation of double salt ammonium copper (II) sulphate.

https://www.americanelements.com/ammonium-cupric-sulfate-hexahydrate-13587-26-
3 (accessed on 26 May 2021).
• Anon.2021. Double salts & oldid. Available:https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?(
accessed 26 May 2021).