EXPERIMENT NO.

10(b)

Aim- To prepare crystals of Mohr’s salt.

Theory – Mohr’s salt, i.e., ferrous ammonium sulphate FeSO4.(NH4)2SO4.6H2O is a double salt.A double
salt is a salt that contains an equimolar mixture of two salts with different cations but same anions.An
equimolar proportions of hydrated ferrous sulphate and ammonium sulphate are mixed in minimum quantity
of water, to form a saturated solution. Little amount of dil.H2SO4 is added to prevent the hydrolysis of
FeSO4.7H2O.Cooling of the hot saturated solution yields bluish green crystals of Mohr’s salt.
FeSO4.7H2O + ( NH4)2SO4 → FeSO4(NH4)2SO4.6H2O + H2O
Mohr’s salt
Apparatus Required- Beaker, conical flask, trough, glass rod, tripod stand, funnel, wire gauge, weighing
machine.
Chemicals Required- Ferrous sulphate, ammonium sulphate, distilled water, dil. sulphuric acid.
Procedure-
1. Take 5 gm of hydrated ferrous sulphate and 2.5 gm of ammonium sulphate in a clean beaker.
2. Add 1-2 ml dil.sulphuric acid to it, mix the contents.
3. Heat 30 ml distilled water in a beaker and slowly add the water to the contents of the beaker. Make
saturated solution using this hot water.
4. Filter the solution in a china dish.
5. Heat the contents of the china dish till crystallization point is reached (to be checked by blowing on a wet
glass rod).
6. Remove the china dish from the flame and allow it to cool.
7. Decant off the mother liquor and collect the crystals on a filter paper.
8. Dry the crystals in the folds of the filter paper and weigh to report the yield.

Crystals of Mohr’s salt

Observation table -

S.No. Colour of the crystals Shape of the crystals Solubility in water

Result – Crystals of Mohr’s salt were prepared.

Precautions –
1. For crystallization, the solution is cooled down slowly.
2. Do not disturb the solution while cooling during crystallization.
3. Do not over heat the solution for crystallization. As it may change Ferrous ions into Ferric ions which will
change the stoichiometry of the solution.