UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA CAMPUS BUKIT BESI TERENGGANU

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE & SAFETY TECHNOLOGY (AS121)

REPORT SHEET

Experiment No 12

NAME of student NURULAIN SYAFIQAH BT AB RAZAK (2020852624)

Name of the group members 1. SITI NUR HIDAYAH BT SHEIKH

BAHARULISHAM
(2020825072)
2. SAYYIDAH NAFISAH BT AIMAN FIRDAUS
(2020627286)
3. WAN NORSYAZANA BT WAN KAMARUDIN
(2020884076)

Course BASIC ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (CHM256)

Group 2B8

Title of experiment Gravimetric Analysis of Phosphorus in Plant Food

Date of Experiment

Date of Submission 24 / 06 / 2021

Lecturer’s Name MADAM SITI MUNIRAH BINTI MUDA

INTRODUCTION

The element sought is transformed into a material (of known

composition) that can be isolated from the sample and weighed in gravimetric
analysis. Preparation of a solution containing a known weight of the sample,
separation of the desired constituent, weighing the isolated constituent, and
computation of the amount of the particular constituent in the sample from the
observed weight of the isolated substance are all common gravimetric
analysis steps.

Three values are often used to describe plant meals and fertilisers: a
weight percent nitrogen, a weight percent P2O5, and a weight percent K2O.
These values are commonly referred to as the percent "nitrogen,"
"phosphorus," and "potassium," although they are really generated from
nitrogen, which is generally in the form of amines and nitrates, P2O5.

In this experiment, phosphorus will be determined through precipitation

of the insoluble salt magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate according
to the reaction:

5H2O + HPO42- + NH4+ + Mg2+ + OH- = MgNH4PO4.6H2O

OBJECTIVE

To determine the content % of P in plant foods through gravimetric analysis.

 APPARATUS CHEMICALS
 Weighing boat/ paper/ bottle  MgSO₄.7H₂O (10%)
 250 mL beaker  2M NH3 (aq) (100 mL)
 Filter funnel  75% isopropyl alcohol
 Dropper
 Measuring cylinder
 100 mL and 250 mL volumetric flask
 Retort stand
 White tile and hotplate
 Porcelain evaporating dish
 Glass rod

PROCEDURE

1. I obtain the food sample and record it in a table

2. I weighed the plant food sample about 3.0-3.5 g using a weighing paper and
the sample is being transferred into a 250 mL beaker.
3. I add about 35-40 mL of distilled water and stir the mixture with a glass rod
so that the sample is dissolve.
4. To filtrate, I add about 40 mL of 10% MgSO4.7H2O and then I add about 100
mL 2 M NH3 slowly and the mixture is being stirred. It will form a white
precipitate.
5. I allow the mixture to sit at a room temperature for 10 min to allow it
complete the precipitation.
6. I weight the filter paper and fold it into a glass funnel. I wet the paper with
some distilled paper and transfer the precipitate and the solution carefully into
the beaker.
7. I wash the precipitate by adding 5mL of distilled water into the beaker about
3 times. Then I rinse again the precipitate with 10 mL of 75% isopropyl alcohol
through the filter paper.
8. I place the filter paper on a numbered porcelain evaporating dish and store it
for 2-3 days to dry it.
9. When the precipitate is fully dry, I weight the filter paper and record the
mass and calculate the % of phosphorus.

RESULT/DATA

 Plant food name: Miracle Grow All Purpose Plant Food

 % of Phosphorus content written on the label: 15%
 Mass of the sample used: 3.4324 g

Mass of filter paper + MgNH4PO4 1.7499 g

Mass of filter paper 0.6407 g

Mass of MgNH4PO4 1.1092 g

CALCULATION
a) Use gravimetric factor and mass of MgNH4PO4 to calculate:
i) The mole of P

Mole MgNH4PO4= 1.1092 g

137 g/mole

Mole P = 1mol P / 1 mol MgNH4PO4

= 0.008096 mole.

ii) The mole of P2O5

Mole P₂O₅ = 1 mol P₂O₅ / 2 mol P x 0.008096 mol MgNH4PO4

= 0.004048 mole

b) The phosphorus content in plant food is usually expressed in term of

P2O5. Calculate the mass and content % (w/w) of P2O5 in the sample.

Mass = Mole (n) / molar mass

Mass of P2O5 = 0.004048 x 141.94

= 0.5746 g

% (w/w) = (0.5746 / 3.4324) x 100

= 16.77 %

c) Compare your result from the amount (w/w %) stated on the label of the
plant food. Calculate the % error.

E = 15% - 16.77%
= -1.77%

% error = -1.77% x 100

15 %
= -11.8 %

CONCLUSION

As a result, determined that the plant food sample has 15% of P with 16.77% 0f
P2O5. But the minimum of water is 42.5% and 46% of soluble phosphate in usual
type of plant food.