Inorganic Chemistry

Non-Metals
Preparation of Gases
Objective: Relate the methods of drying and collection to the properties of the gas.

When considering the method to be used to prepare a gas in the laboratory, the following properties need to be
considered:
- Solubility of the gas in water to determine if it can be collected by bubbling in through water (gases
which are soluble in water cannot be collected in this manner as they would simply dissolve in the
water).

- The reactivity of the gas with different drying agents to determine which drying agents can be used (in
the event that you want a dry sample of the gas).
- The density of the gas relative to the density of air (to determine whether the gas can be collected by
downward displacement of air or upward displacement of air.)

Downward displacement of air is an appropriate method to use to collect a gas whose density is less than that of
air. It is called downward displacement because as the less dense gas rises to meet the bottom of the gas jar, it
will displace any air contained in the jar by forcing it downwards. Downward displacement is also known as
upward delivery.
Upward displacement of air is an appropriate method to use to collect a gas whose density is greater than that of
air. It is called upward displacement of air because as the more dense gas flows to the bottom of the gas jar, it
will displace any air contained in the jar by forcing it upwards. Upward displacement or air is also known as
downward delivery.

Laboratory Preparation of Oxygen

Oxygen is prepared in the lab by the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of manganese(IV)
oxide as a catalyst. MnO4
2H2O2(aq) 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

The oxygen produced can then be collected in two ways depending on whether dry oxygen is required or not:

- Downward displacement of water (if dry oxygen is not required):

The oxygen is collected by bubbling it through water into an upside down gas jar. As oxygen
fills the jar, it pushes the water level downwards (downward displacement of water). This is an
appropriate method to collect oxygen because oxygen is only slightly soluble in water.

- Upward displacement of air (if dry oxygen is required):

Oxygen produced from the decomposition of H2O2 is passed through a U-tube containing a
drying agent. The drying agent can be solid calcium chloride, calcium oxide or concentrated
aqueous sulfuric acid.

N.B. if concentrated sulfuric acid is used as a drying agent, the oxygen gas will be bubbled
through a wash bottle containing the concentrated sulfuric acid.
The gas is then collected into a gas jar by upward displacement of air. Oxygen is slightly denser
than air and so will collect on the bottom of the gas jar.
(There is only problem: there is no way to tell when the gas jar is full.)

Laboratory Preparation of Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is usually prepared in the lab by reacting an acid with a carbonate. The acid is usually hydrochloric
acid and the carbonate is usually calcium carbonate.

CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq)  CaCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

As with oxygen, collection depends on whether dry carbon dioxide is required or not.
 - Downward displacement of water (if dry gas is not needed:
The gas once produced is bubbled into an upside down gas jar filled with water. The gas pushes
the water level downward as it collects in the jar. This method can work because carbon dioxide
is not very soluble in water.

- Upward displacement of air:

As with oxygen, dry carbon dioxide can be collected by upward displacement of air because it is
denser than air.

The drying agent used can be anhydrous calcium chloride or concentrated sulfuric acid but should NEVER be
calcium oxide. This is because carbon dioxide will react with calcium oxide as calcium oxide is a basic oxide
and carbon dioxide is an acidic oxide.

N.B. the carbon dioxide first produced way be passed through 2 wash bottles. The first containing water to
remove any hydrogen chloride fumes which may be present and the second containing sulfuric acid if this was
the drying agent used.

N.B. calcium carbonate and sulfuric acid cannot be the selected acid and carbonate used to produce the carbon
dioxide as it produces an insoluble layer of calcium sulfate around the pieces of calcium carbonate preventing
further reaction with the acid.

Laboratory Preparation of Ammonia

Ammonia is usually prepared in the lab by reacting an alkali with an ammonium salt, usually solid calcium
hydroxide and solid ammonium chloride:
heat
Ca(OH)2(s) + 2NH4Cl(s) CaCl2(s) + 2NH3(g) + 2H2O(g)

N.B. Ammonia gas is very soluble in water and so it cannot be collected over water.

The solid Ca(OH)2 and NH4Cl are mixed together in a boiling tube and heated over a Bunsen burner. The
NH3(g) produced is dried by passing it through a U-tube or drying tower containing calcium oxide as a drying
agent.
Calcium chloride and sulfuric acid cannot be used a drying agents because they both react with ammonia gas.

Ammonia gas is collected by downward displacement of air because it is less dense than air.

You can detect whether the gas jar is full by placing a piece of moist red litmus paper at the mouth of the jar.
When the litmus paper turns blue, the jar is full.

Objective: Relate the uses of carbon dioxide and oxygen to their properties.

Uses of Oxygen Gas

Oxygen is needed for all living organisms to obtain energy from food through the process of respiration.
It is also essential for combustion to occur.

Oxygen is used in hospitals to treat patients who have difficulty breathing or who have conditions which result
in impaired gaseous exchange e.g. emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, heart disease or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Oxygen is carried on plane and submarines for breathing purposes in case of emergency.
Nearly pure oxygen is used in space suits for astronauts to breathe.

Oxygen is used in oxyacetylene and oxyhydrogen torches to burn acetylene and hydrogen which produce
flames capable of melting most metals.

Liquid oxygen is used to burn the fuel that generates the life in spaceships.

Uses of Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is pressurized to form a liquid and used in fire extinguishers because it is non-flammable and
denser than air. Upon opening the valve on the extinguisher, the pressurized CO2 rushes out and smothers the
flames by restricting access of O2.

Solid CO2 is used as a refrigerant because it sublimes at -78.50C. It can be used to keep food cold and leaves no
liquid behind.

CO2 is used to make carbonated beverages. It creates the fizz associated with carbonated beverages and imparts
a pleasant flavor to the drink. This is possible because the solubility of CO2 increases as pressure increases.

CO2 is used as an aerosol propellant in certain food stuffs e.g. whipped cream because it is relatively inert.