04.16.

2021
BSPHARM-3
Quality Control 1: Precipitation Method of Analysis
Questions:

1. Why should standard silver nitrate solution be protected from strong sunlight?
Describe how it should be properly stored

 Standard silver nitrate solution should be protected from strong sunlight because
natural silver salts like silver nitrate is photosensitive meaning it will react when
exposed to light. Therefore, if the silver nitrate is left in sunlight (or any bright
light), it breaks down or decomposes (hydrolyses) into black or brown colored
silver oxide and nitric acid [Reaction: AgNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) --> AgO (s) + HNO3
(aq)]. Thus, it should be properly stored in a brown reagent bottle. This bottle
inhibits the passage of light through it hence can be stored for longer duration,
2. In the standardization of Ammonium thiocyanate, why is nitric acid added to
the solution?

 In the standardization of ammonium thiocyanate, Nitric Acid is added to prevent

hydrolysis of the Ferric Ammonium Sulfate which used as indicator. Ferric salts
usually undergo hydrolysis in neutral solutions, that’s why the solution will be
acidified using nitric acid to prevent the chemical reaction. Nitric acid also
prevents the precipitation of other anions that are soluble in the medium so that
thiocyanate ion will reacts with ferric ammonium sulfate to form the red ferric
thiocyanate.
3. What is a precipitate? How is it different from a complex?

 Precipitates are insoluble ionic solid products of a reaction, formed when certain
cations and anions combine in an aqueous solution. The physical determining
factors of the formation of a precipitate can vary.
 Precipitation factors differs from complex factors. In precipitation, some reactions
depend physical factors like temperature, such as solutions used for buffers,
whereas others are dependent only on solution concentration. Whereas complex
is held together by weak forces that are chemical in nature rather than physical.
 Precipitate is different from a complex by the way they are formed because
complex is an example of weak chemical-bond formation between dissimilar
molecules. The formation of such weak bonds is called complex formation—that
is, formation of a new chemical species, called a complex, which
 Precipitate also differs from a complex when it comes to isolating or separation of
such formation. Complexes usually exist only in solution; because of their low
stability, they cannot, in general, be isolated. In contrast with the precipitates,
since the solids produced in precipitate reactions are crystalline solids, and can
be suspended throughout the liquid or fall to the bottom of the solution. The two
components of the mixture (precipitate and supernatant) can be separated by
various methods, such as filtration, centrifugation, or decantation.

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