dSubject Code Chemistry 4 (Frontiers of Chemistry)

Module Code 1.0 Analytical Chemistry in Focus

Lesson Code 1.10 Introduction to Gravimetry
Time Limit 30 minutes

Components Sample Tasks Time Actual Time

Allocation Allocation
(in minutes). (in minutes)
Target By the end of this module, the students will have been 30 minutes
able to:

1. Apply the concepts of gravimetric analysis to a wide

variety of problems in analysis.
2. Choose the appropriate classical method of analysis
needed for specific problems.
Hook Recall the procedure on how to correctly use the 6 minutes
analytical balance. In gravimetry, the analytical balance
is the main instrument used to collect data from the
analysis. To have an overview on what gravimetric
analysis is and how it is done, watch these videos and
take note of the overall process being done in
gravimetry.

Video 1: Overview of Gravimetry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxhA2p0dB-I
(2 minutes and 45 seconds)

Video 2: Analysis of lead ions in solution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk4Tr-CbLbY
(2 minutes and 55 seconds)

Ignite Gravimetric Methods of Analysis 15 minutes

Gravimetry is based on the concept that a sample is

chemically converted to a pure substance of known
mass and is chemically related to the analyte of interest.

There are different types of gravimetric techniques

namely:
1. Precipitation gravimetry- in this technique the
analyte is precipitated in to a known compound and its
mass is determined.

2. Volatilization gravimetry- here, the analyte is

separated from the sample matrix by converting it into
a gas of known composition and its mass is determined.

3. Electrogravimetry- the analyte is deposited on an

electrode and with the use of an electric current.

4. Gravimetric titrimetry- the analyte concentration is

determined from the mass of titrant of known
concentration used to react with the said analyte
completely.
5. Atomic mass spectrometry- this technique uses a
mass spectrometer to separate the ionized gaseous
fragments of a large molecule.

This lesson will focus on precipitation gravimetry and

the techniques involved in carrying our this type of
analysis.

In precipitation gravimetry, the analyte is converted to

a partially soluble precipitate that is further processed
and weighed. The mass of the precipitate is then
determined and related stoichiometrically to the
analyte.

Properties of Precipitates and Precipitating Agents

Precipitating agents should react selectively (reacts to

a few chemical species) or specifically (reacts with a
single chemical species) with the analyte.

Precipitates should be:

1. Filtered and washed easily
2. Of low Solubility to avoid losses during analysis
3. Inert
4. Of known chemical composition

Calculation of Results from a Gravimetric Data

Gravimetric analysis relies on the mass of the sample

and the product of known composition to calculate the
concentration of the analyte.

Examples (Skoog, et al.,2014).

1. The calcium in a 200.0 mL sample of a natural water
was determined by precipitating the cation as CaC 2O4.
The precipitate was filtered, washed, and ignited in a
crucible with an empty mass of 26.6002g. The mass of
the crucible plus CaO (56.077 g/mol) was 26.7134 g.
Calculate the concentration of Ca (40.078 g/mol) in
water in units of grams per 100 mL of the water.

Solution:
The mass of CaO is: 26.7134-26.6002=0.1132g

The concentration of Ca in grams per 100 mL sample

is:
g 1 molCaO 1 molCa 40.078 gCa
Ca 0.1132 gCaO   
56.077 gCaO 1 molCaO 1 molCa 0.04045 gCa
molCa = =
100 200mLsample 100mLsample
mL

2. An iron ore was analyzed by dissolving a 1.1324 g

sample in concentrated HCl. The resulting solution was
diluted with water, and the iron (III) was precipitated as
the hydrous oxide Fe2O3•xH2O by the addition of NH3.
After filtration and washing, the residue was ignited at
a high temperature to give 0.5394 g of pure Fe 2O3
(159.69 g/mol). Calculate (a) the %Fe (55.847 g/mol)
and (b) the %Fe3O4 (231.54 g/mol) in the sample.

Solution:
The number of moles of Fe2O3 is calculated as:
1molFe2O3
molFe2O3 = 0.5394 g Fe2O3  = 3.3778 10−3 molFe2O3
159.69 g Fe2O3
a. The %Fe in the sample is:
2 molFe 55.847 g Fe
3.3778 10−3 molFe2O3  
1 molFe2O3 1 molFe
% Fe = 100% = 33.32%
1.1324 g sample
b. The %Fe3O4 in the sample is:
2 molFe3O4 231.54 g Fe3O4
3.3778 10−3 molFe2O3  
3 molFe2O3 1 molFe3O4
% Fe3O4 = 100% = 46.04%
1.1324 g sample

3. A 0.2356 g sample containing only NaCl (58.44

g/mol) and BaCl2 (208.23 g/mol) yielded 0.4637 g of
dried AgCl (143.32 g/mol). Calculate the percent of
each halogen compound in the sample.

Solution:
Assigning x as the mass of NaCl and y as the mass of
BaCl2 we set up the following equation:

x + y = 0.2356 g sample (eq. 1)

Calculating the mass of AgCl formed from NaCl:

1 molNaCl 1 mol AgCl 143.32 g AgCl
g AgCl = x g NaCl    = 2.4524 xg AgCl
58.44 g NaCl 1 molNaCl 1 mol AgCl
Calculating the mass of AgCl formed from BaCl2:
1 molBaCl2 2 mol AgCl 143.32 g AgCl
g AgCl = y g BaCl2    = 1.3766 yg AgCl
208.23 g BaCl2 1 molBaCl2 1 mol AgCl

Since the total mass of AgCl is 0.4637 g, we have:

2.4534x g AgCl + 1.3766y g AgCl = 0.4637 g AgCl
(eq. 2)

Transforming eq. 1, we have:

y=0.2356-x (eq. 3)

Substituting eq. 3 to eq. 2, we have:

2.4524x + 1.3766(0.2356-x)=0.4637

Simplifying the equation:

x=0.1296 g NaCl
 0.12960 g NaCl
% NaCl = 100% = 55.01%
0.2356 g sample

%BaCl2=100%-55.01%=44.99%

Applications of Gravimetric Methods

Gravimetric techniques do not need the preparation of
calibration solution and standardization procedures
because the concentration of the analyte is determined
directly from the masses of the sample and the
precipitate. The following are the common applications
of gravimetry:

1. Inorganic precipitating agents are used to form

precipitates of known composition for inorganic
analytes.

2. Reducing Agents are used to transform analytes to

their elemental form and then weighed.

3. Organic precipitating agents are used to form

coordination compounds with inorganic species. These
are generally more specific than inorganic precipitating
agents.

4. Organic functional groups may also be determined

using gravimetry. Some functional groups react with
specific reagents to form chemical species that indicate
the presence of the said functional groups.

Navigate Non-graded formative assessment 8 minutes

Instructions: Answer the following question in a word

processor (format: A4 document, 1-inch margin on all
sides, Times New Roman, Font size 12, single space),
and submit to your teacher via email at the end of the
period:

Solve the following problems and show complete

solutions (Skoog, et al.,2014):

1. What mass of Cu(IO3)2 can be formed from 0.650 g

of CuSO4•5H2O?

2. What mass of AgI can be produced from a 0.512-g

sample that assays 20.1% AlI3?

3. A 0.2121-g sample of an organic compound was

burned in a stream of oxygen, and the CO 2 produced
was collected in a solution of barium hydroxide.
Calculate the percentage of carbon in the sample if
0.6006 g of BaCO3 was formed.
Knot In this lesson, we learned about the different types of 1 minute
gravimetric techniques, the properties of precipitating
 agents and precipitates, the calculations and
applications of gravimetry.

Prepared by: Michael A. Casas Reviewed by: Paul Randy P. Gumanao

Position: Special Science Teacher IV Position: Special Science Teacher III
Campus: PSHS-SMC Campus: PSHS-SRC

References:
Christian, G.D., Dasgupta, P.K., & Schug, K.A.(2014). Analytical Chemistry. USA: John Wiley and
Sons.

Harris, D.C.(2000). Quantitative Chemical Analysis (5th Ed). USA: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Skoog, D.A., West, D.M., Holler, F.J., & Crouch, S.R.(2014). Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
(9th Ed). Philippines: Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk4Tr-CbLbY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxhA2p0dB-I