The composition of sea water

salts:
magnesium
chloride
Sea water is a solution containing about 3.5 by weight of
MgC12 14.6% dissolved substances, mainly common salt sodium chloride.
common salt

NaCI 68% sodium sulphate

N92304 11.4%

calcium chloride
CaCk 3.1%
other salts 2.9%

Extraction of common salt

Common salt (sodium chloride) is the most abundant resource in sea water.
It can be extracted by filtration and crystallization (purest).

(i) Filtration
Filtration is a common method for separating an insoluble solid from a solution (mixture of solid
-

and liquid).

The process of filtrating sea water:

· Sea water is poured onto a piece of folded filter paper in a filter funnel.
· A glass rod is used to guide the flow.
· Small particles of solvent and dissolved solid (solute) passes
through as filtrate (they are small enough to pass through
the tiny holes on the filter paper). Larger insoluble particles
are retained on the filter paper as residue.
· After filtration, pure crystals of common salt can be
separated out by crystallization of the
filtrate.

(i) Crystallization
Crystallization separates a solute from a solution. The solid is obtained as well formed crystal.

The process of crstallization:

· Sea water is allowed to stand / heat slowly at room temperature. The solution becomes more
and more concentrated as the solvent (water) with lower boiling point evaporates / is boiled away.
· The solution becomes saturated (a solution that has dissolved the maximum amount of the
solute it can in the given temperature) respect to sodium chloride.
· Cool the saturated sea water. As temperature decreases, water cannot hold all of the dissolved
sodium chloride and pure sodium chloride is then separated out as crystals.
· The sodium chloride crystals can be separated by filtration from the solution.
· Crystals are then washed with a small amount of cold distilled water and dried with filter paper.

⑲
.
>.ma
★ Quick cooling and slow cooling
Quick cooling Slow cooling / evaporation
cooling / evaporation of cold
cooling of hot saturated solution
Cool down methods saturated solution by standing
by standing in running tap water
in air
Speed faster slower

Difference in appearance
I
smaller and distorted in shape larger and well-formed

↑Why? solute particles do not have solute particles have

sufficient time to arrange sufficient time to arrange
themselves regularly themselves regularly
★ Evaporating to dryness OR Crystallization???
Evaporating to dryness:
• solute obtained is in powder form (crystals are decomposed)
• should be used to obtain solute from a mixture containing only one solute

Crystallization:
• solute obtained as well-formed crystals
• can be used to obtain a specific solute from a mixture containing more than one solute
(the solute with lower solubility starts to crystallize first, while the solute(s) with lower solubility
remains dissolved.)

Isolation of pure water from sea water

Distillation can be used to obtain pure water from sea water.

Distillation
Simple distillation separates a pure solvent from a solution. (solute is not pure).

The working principle of distillation of sea water: vaporization & condensation

When sea water is heated to 100°C, water turns into steam (boiling). Then steam comes out and
touches the cold surface in the cold receiver test tube / condenser. The pure water condenses on
the surface as distillate (condensation). The solid left behind is called residue.
• Purpose to add a few anti-bumping granules: To prevent bumping and to make boiling smooth
• Why the end of delivery tube inserted to the test tube should always be above the distillate?
To prevent sucking back and cracking of the hot glassware / boiling tube / round bottomed flask

• Distillation of sea water using ‘Quickfit’ apparatus:

In

condenser

Test for the presence of sodium and chloride ion in a sample of common salt
(i) Test for sodium ion: using flame test

-
Metallic ion Flame colour
Potassium Lilac flame
Sodium Golden yellow flame
Calcium Brick-red flame
Copper Bluish green flame
Procedures:

atten
platinum 1. Moisten a clean platinum wire with
concentrated HCl and dip it into the
sample.
2. Burn the sample under non-luminous
Bunsen flame.
3. Observe the colour of the flame.

(ii) Test for chloride ion: using the silver nitrate test (AgNO )
3

Test:
(1) Dissolve the solid sample in distilled water
(2) Add excess dilute nitric acid with acidified silver nitrate solution to the sample
(to remove sulphite or carbonate ions & prevent the formation of other precipitates, which
are soluble in nitric acid)
Result:
A white precipitate appears. (AgCl)
E silver nitrate solution

⑱
Equation: white solid (AgCl)
Ag + Cl AgCl
-
(ii) Test for the presence of water:
(1) Dry cobalt (II) chloride paper (2) Anhydrous copper (II) sulphate crystals
The paper turns from blue to pink. The crystals turn from white to blue.

(iv) Test for pure water:

Boiling point test can be used to test whether the sample is pure water.
If a colourless liquid boils at 100°C sharply (at 1 atmospheric pressure), it must be pure water.

Chemicals from salt

The main use of salt includes flavouring and preserving food in ancient times.

Equation of electrolysis (decomposition by electricity) of sea water: ( in chloro-alkali industry)

sodium chloride + water sodium chloride solution + chlorine gas + hydrogen gas

Product Material used for testing Observable change

Chlorine Blue litmus paper / pH paper Turns red and then white

Hydrogen Burning splint "Pop" sound