Melting Point Apparatus

Dr Deepti Patil
 Introduction

• The melting point of a substance is a physical

property that can be used for identification
• Determining the MP is a simple and fast
method used in many diverse areas of
chemistry to obtain a first impression of the
purity of a substance.
• Even small quantities of impurities change the
melting point, or at least clearly enlarge its
melting range.
• The determination of melting points is
particularly important to organic chemists.
 Since they generally work with solid molecular
compounds that have low melting points (below
3000C) and which can be conveniently
measured. 
• The MP determination is a fast and cost-effective
technique which remains a strong link to the vast
pre-instrumental chemistry literature.
 Theory & Background
• The melting point of a substance is the temperature at
which the material changes from a solid to a liquid
state.
• Pure crystalline substances have a clear, sharply
defined melting point.
• The determination of melting points is one of the
oldest identification and test methods for organic
substances.
• The melting point is easy to measure, tabulate and
classify.
• Extensive collections of tables give the exact values
of many pure, inorganic and organic compounds.
• If a pure sample of a compound melts from 110 to
111.50C, the addition of substantial amounts of
another compound might result in a new melting
point range from 85 to 1000C.
 Definition
MELTING POINT:
• Temperature at which a transition occurs
between solid and liquid phases
• Temperature at which an equilibrium exist
between the well ordered crystalline state and
the more random liquid state.
 Melting point range

• The first point (lower temp) is the temperature

at which the first drop of liquid forms amongst
the crystals.
• Second point (higher temp) is the temperature
at which the entire mass of solid turns to a
clear liquid.
 Uses

• Determined to aid in identification and to

get some idea of purity.
• To observe the effect of the purity of a
substance on its melting behavior.
Melting point indicates purity in 2 ways
1. The purer the compound, the higher the
melting point.
2. The purer the compound, the narrower the
melting point range.
3. Melting point of A decreases as impurity B is
added
 Experiment

• Equipments required:

1. Capillary Tubes

2. Mel-Temp Melting Point Apparatus

 Melting point tubes
(Capillary Tubes)
• Made from soda glass, these tubes are easy to
seal in a flame and break into two.
• Supplied in robust tube holder, pack of 100
tubes.
• Tube overall length is 100mm
• Tube diameter = 1.9mm,
• Inner diameter = 1.3mm and
• Wall thickness = 0.3mm.
Mel-Temp Melting Point Apparatus
Capillary tubes.
 Procedure
• Keep the melting point apparatus in its normal
vertical position.
• Fit the thermometer support on the top of the
apparatus with the help of 2 screws provided.
• Insert the thermometer in the thermometer
pocket provided in the aluminium block .
• Insert the glass capillaries in the aluminium block
 Cont….
• Conform that the thermometer bulb and capillaries
are properly inserted I such a way that they are in
good contact with the base.
• Put low or High switch in high position keep the temp.
controller on the position marked 10 by rotating it
clockwise
• Connect the instrument to main socket and put the
switch on.
 Detection Of Melting Point
• Now temp will start rising and it will be shown
by the thermometer.
• When the temperature is well below the
melting point turn the temperature controller
knob anticlockwise so that the rate of temp.
rise will be slow,
• Observe the temperature rise .
• In unknown melting point of the substance
take the pilot reading and repeat the above
stages.
THANK U