Solubility of Potassium Nitrate

Purpose of the Experiment

Improving purity of the contaminated material

by using a change of solubility along tempera-
ture

Key concept
- Chemical equilibrium
- Solubility
 Experiment Theory

ΔH ΔS

The change of enthalpy is state entropy (S) : Disorder

function in system or matter
ΔH = Hp-Hr The change of Entropy
Endothermic Reaction (Energy (ΔS) is also state function
suction of ΔS = Sp – Sr
system from surrounding) Sp > Sr
∴ ΔS > 0
Hp>Hr
(During the change
∴ ΔH >0
disorder of system is
Exothermic reaction
increased spontaneously.
(Losing energy of system) – cf. in case of un-spontaneous reac-
Hp < Hr tion
∴ ΔH < 0 ΔS < 0)
 Experiment Theory
 G(Gibbs free energy)

The
Thedegree
degreeofofspontaneous
spontaneouschange
change
ininthe given system .
the given system.
GG==HH- -TS
TS
The
Thechange
changeofofenergy
energyininthe
thegiven
given
system
systemunder
underfixed temperature. .
fixedtemperature

IfIfthe
thetemperature
temperatureisisincreased,
increased,the
theeffect
effect
ofofentropy is getting higher.
entropy is getting higher.

ΔG
ΔG=ΔH
=ΔH- -TΔS
TΔS
(ΔG<0:
(ΔG<0: spontaneousreaction,
spontaneous reaction,
ΔG>0: un-spontaneous reaction)
ΔG>0: un-spontaneous reaction)
==-RTlnK
-RTlnK
==-2.303RTlogK
-2.303RTlogK
∴∴logK
logK = -ΔH/2.303RT++ΔS/2.303R
= -ΔH/2.303RT ΔS/2.303R
 Experiment Theory
The solubility of potas- Temperature effect to
sium nitrate solubility
 The relative amount of potassium  Endothermic Reaction (ΔH>0)
nitrate and water required to make - When T or ΔS is sufficiently high,
a saturated solution, is described
solute can be dissolved because
by the chemical equilibrium.
ΔG can be minus values.
KNO3(s) <-> K+(aq) + NO3-(aq)
 The equilibrium constant is called  Exothermic Reaction (ΔH<0)
as the solubility product (Ksp) of
potassium nitrate. - Because ΔG has minus values,
Ksp = 〔 k+ 〕 eq 〔 NO3- 〕 eq solubility increases as temperate
 The numerical value of Ksp is re- increases.
lated directly to the solubility of the
salts.
 Experiment procedure
 Experiment A

1. Transfer 10mL of distilled water into a 50ml beaker. Then add 4g of KNO3 and stir
to dissolve solid. (Heat the solution , But do not boil)

2. Put thermometer in the 50ml beaker and cool the solution by stirring. record the
temperature at which solid appears first.

3. Repeat the experiment using 6, 8 and 10g of KNO3

 Experiment procedure
 Experiment B

1. Get 10g of the contaminated sample from teacher.

2. Regard 75% of the contaminated sample as KNO3, and calculate necessary

amount of H2O in order to dissolve the sample at 80 ℃. (167g of KNO3 dissolves to
100g of water at 80 ℃. Based on this, set up a proportional expression and calculate
it.)

3. Add to the calculated the H2O and the contaminated sample 100 ㎖ beaker then
cover up and dissolve slowly.

4. After cooling beaker with a drifting tap water, filter the recrystallized solid using the
filter paper. Then wash precipitates with small quantity of cold water. (Repeat wash-
ing until color of precipitates disappears. Caution : try to use minimum amount of
water)

5. After drying precipitates, measure the weight.

6. Calculate the percent yield of recovery.

 Experiment result
1. Record the temperature at which crystallization occurs first, draw graph of molarity
and temperature.

amount of KNO3 (g) molarity(M) temperature ( ℃)

4 __________ __________
6 __________ __________
8 __________ __________
10 __________ __________

2. Weight of the contaminated sample __________ g

Weight of the recovered KNO3 as recrystallization __________ g
Percentage of KNO3 in contaminated sample __________ %
Weight of KNO3 in contaminated sample __________ g
Percent yield of recovery __________ %

3. Calculate ΔH by drawing graph of log K value of molarity and 1/T value.