Experiment 1

Aim:
To prepare 250 mL M/20 solution of standard ferrous ammonium sulfate (Mohr’s salt) and use
it to determine the molarity and strength of a given potassium permanganate solution.

Materials Required: Mohr’s salt, KMnO 4 solution, Dilute sulfuric acid, Burette, Burette
stand, Pipette, Conical flask, Funnel, Measuring flask

Oxidation half reaction [Fe2+  Fe3+ + e–] x 5
– + – 2+
Reduction half reaction MnO4  + 8H  + 5e   Mn  + 4H2O
Overall ionic equation
MnO4– + 8H+ + 5Fe2+  Mn2+ + 5Fe3+ + 4H2O
Theory:
In this redox reaction, ferrous ion from Mohr’s salt gets oxidised to ferric and pink coloured
permanganate, (Mn is in +7 oxidation state) gets reduced to colourless Mn2+ ions
KMnO4 acts as a self-indicator.
End point is from colourless to permanent pale pink.
Procedure:
(a) Preparation of 0.05M standard solution of ferrous ammonium sulfate:

1. Weigh accurately 4.9gm of Mohr’s salt in a chemical balance.

2. With the help of a funnel transfer the Mohr’s salt into the measuring flask.
3. Wash the funnel with distilled water without removing the funnel from the flask.
4. Dissolve the salt with gentle shaking.
5. Add about 5mL of conc H2SO4 to the solution to check hydrolysis of ferrous sulphate.
6. Make the solution up to the marked point with distilled water. Shake gently.

(b) Titration of potassium permanganate solution against standard ferrous ammonium

sulfate (Mohr’s salt) solution:

1. Wash and rinse the burette and pipette with distilled water and then rinse with the
corresponding solution to be filled in them.
2. Rinse the burette with the potassium permanganate solution and fill the burette with
potassium permanganate solution.
3. Fix the burette in the burette stand and place the white tile below the burette in order
to find the endpoint correctly.
4. Rinse the pipette and conical flask with standard ferrous sulfate solution.
5. Pipette out 10ml of M/20 standard Mohr’s salt solution into the conical flask.
6. Add a test tube full of sulfuric acid in order to prevent oxidation of manganese to form
manganese dioxide.
7. Note down the initial reading in the burette before starting the titration.
8. Add potassium permanganate solution drop wise to Mohr salt solution in the flask and
simultaneously swirl the solution in the flask gently.
9. The appearance of a permanent pale pink colour reveals the endpoint. Note down
the upper meniscus on the burette readings.

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 10. Repeat the titration until concordant values are obtained.
11. Record the reading in the observation table given below in order to calculate the
molarity of KMnO4 given.
Calculations: For preparation 250 mL of M/20 standard solution of ferrous
ammonium sulfate
If x is the amount of Mohr salt required Observations:
S.No Volume of Burette Reading Volume(V) of
The molar mass of mohr’s salt = 392 g/mol
(Mohr’s salt) KMnO4 used
used in mL V = (y-x) mL
No of moles of solute
Molarity=
Volume of solution∈litres Initial(x) Final(y)

1 20

Mass of solute 2 20
Molarity=
Molar mass of solute ×Volume of solution∈litres
3 20
Concordant Volume of KMnO4 = ______mL
1 x × 1000
=
20 392 ×250 Result:
1. Molarity of given KMnO4 solution is _________ moles/liter
392× 250 2. The strength of given potassium permanganate solution is _______ g/L
x= = 4.9 g
1000× 20
Precautions:
Calculations:
1. Potassium permanganate is dark in colour, so always read the upper meniscus.
(a) Molariity of KMnO4 solution: 2. Rinse the pipette and burette before use.
3. Clean all the apparatus with distilled water before starting the experiment and then
M KMnO ×V KMnO rinse with the solution to be taken in them.
2
4 4
= 4. Use the antiparallel card or auto parallax card while taking the burette readings.
M Moh r s salt ×V Moh r s salt
' ' 10

M KMnO =Molarity of KMNO4 Solution

4

V KMnO =Volume of KMNO 4 Solution

4
'
M Moh r s salt =Molarity of Moh r s salt Solution
'

V Mohr s salt =Volume of Moh r ' s salt Solution

'

(b) Strength of KMnO4 solution:

Strength = Molariity × Molar Mass = M ×158 g/mol

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=_______ g/L

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