EXPERIMENT 5 AIM : Preparation of crystals of potash alum. APPARATUS : Beakers, Funnel, China dish, Glass rod CHEMICALS REQUIRED : Aluminium Sulphate, Potassium Sulphate, conc. Sulphuric Acid, Distilled Water ‘THEORY : Potash alum is a double salt of Potassium Sulphate and Aluminium Sulphate having composition K2SOs.Als(SOs)s.24H20. It is commonly known as Potash Alum (phitkari). It is prepared by concentrating a solution containing equimolar quantities of K,SO, and Al,(SO.)3.18H,0 in water followed gradual cooling. K,SO, + Alx(SO.)318H,O + 6H,O ———~> K,SO,.Al:(SO,)3.24H,0 PROCEDURE : 1. Weigh 3 g of Potassium Sulphate in a clean beaker. Dissolve it in minimum amount of distilled water. Heat it on a low flame and stir the contents occasionally to dissolve the salt completely. 2. Weigh 12 of Aluminium Sulphate in another beaker. Add 1 ml of cone Sulphuric Acid and dissolve the salt completely in minimum amount of distilled water. * Sulphuric Acid is added to prevent hydrolysis of aluminium sulphate resulting in the formation of white precipitate of aluminium hydroxide. 3. Filter both the solutions separately in a china dish to make them free of any insoluble impurity. 4, Heat the contents gently and keep stirring the mixture occasionally till crystallisation point is reached. 5. Cool down the mixture gradually by keeping the china dish undisturbed overnight. 6. After the separation of crystals, decant off the mother liquor and wash the crystals with water. 7. Transfer the crystals onto a filter paper and dry them in the folds of the filter paper. 8, After the crystals have dried, weigh them . Note the colour, shape and weight of crystals. PRECAUTIONS : 1, Dissolve Potassium Sulphate and Aluminium Sulphate in separate beakers, 2. Add conc Sulphuric Acid to Aluminium Sulphate to prevent its hydrolysis. 3, Wash the crystals of potash alum in ice cold water as it is soluble in water at room temperature, RESULT: Colour of crystals White Shape of crystals. — Octahedral Yield of crystals Scanned with CamScanner