TYPES OF PRECIPITATES

1. CRYSTALLINE

• well-defined / regularly shaped

crystals whose shapes are a
function of the composition of the
salt;
• relatively pure;
• ready to filter;
• are filtered rapidly, easily and
completely;
• since these crystals are not pure
and are too small to filter
effectively, they are heated to
achieve larger and purer crystals
(digestion);
• examples are calcium oxalate and
also the alkaline earth sulfates
such as barium sulfate.
2. GELATINOUS

• flocculated colloids; jelly-like,

hydrous masses
• trap a great deal of water and
many impurities;
• very difficult to work with;
• the cation & anion react to form a
soluble colloid and then coagulate
to filterable-sized particles;
• examples are metal hydroxides
such as ferric hydroxide;
3. CURDY

AgCl AgBr AgI

• aggregates of small porous

particles;
• the cation & anion react to form a
soluble colloid and then coagulate
to filterable-sized particles;
• when reasonable in size, they are
filtered rapidly, easily and
completely;
• examples are the silver halides
compounds;