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Experiment No.9 Potassium Nitrate Objective

This experiment details the procedure to prepare potassium nitrate and perform tests to identify it. Potassium nitrate has medicinal uses as a diuretic and diaphoretic to increase urine output and sweating. It is added to stramonium leaves to enhance combustibility and volatilize alkaloids to treat asthma through burning. Identification tests include the Beilstein's test and reactions with sulfuric acid, ferrous sulfate, and potassium permanganate.

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438 views3 pages

Experiment No.9 Potassium Nitrate Objective

This experiment details the procedure to prepare potassium nitrate and perform tests to identify it. Potassium nitrate has medicinal uses as a diuretic and diaphoretic to increase urine output and sweating. It is added to stramonium leaves to enhance combustibility and volatilize alkaloids to treat asthma through burning. Identification tests include the Beilstein's test and reactions with sulfuric acid, ferrous sulfate, and potassium permanganate.

Uploaded by

Blazy Inhumang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EXPERIMENT NO.

9
POTASSIUM NITRATE
OBJECTIVE:
At the end of the experiment, student should know how to:
1. Prepare Potassium nitrate and perform tests for its identity
2. Identify its medicinal application

MATERIALS:
Laboratory set of apparatus

REAGENTS:
Sodium nitrate Any nitrite solution Conc. Hydrochloric acid
Potassium chloride Potassium permanganate solution
Conc. Sulfuric acid Conc. Ferrous sulfate
solution

PROCEDURE:
1. Dissolve 4.25 grams of Sodium nitrate and 3.75 grams of Potassium chloride in 5.25 ml of
distilled water and boil for 15 minutes maintaining the original volume of the solution by the
occasional addition of water.
2. Strain the hot solution through a muslin cloth (or filter paper) and cool the filtrate to 10
degrees Celsius.
3. Collect the crystals wash them with a spray of cold water and then dry them in a current of
hot air.

Chemical Formula: KNO3


Chemical reaction involved:

Computation of the Percentage yield:


Actual yield:

Theoretical yield:

Percentage yield:

IDENTIFICATION TESTS:
1. Perform Beilstein's test
Result: ______________________________________
2. Prepare a solution of Potassium nitrate and mix it with an equal volume of Sulfuric acid and
allow to cool. Slowly add a concentrated solution of Ferrous sulfate at the sides of the tube.
Do not mix or agitate.
Result: ______________________________________
Chemical reaction:

3. Acidify a Potassium permanganate solution divide it into 2 portions. To the first portion, add
a solution of Potassium nitrate and to the other portion add a solution of nitrite.
Result: ______________________________________

QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH:


1. Give the synonyms of Potassium nitrate.
 saltpeter, nitrate of ash, Nitrate of potash, Nitre

2. Define the uses of Potassium nitrate.


In medicinal doses, potassium nitrate is a diuretic and diaphoretic, although
harmless organic potassium salts are to be preferred.
Diuretics are a class of drugs that increase the flow of urine (termed diuresis).
Diuretics work by removing sodium and chloride from the body in the urine, and the
sodium and chloride in turn draw excess water from the body. The amount of sodium and
chloride (sodium chloride, or NaCl) in the body, has a marked effect on the amount of water
retained by the body; hence most diuretics have their effects by reducing total-body sodium
chloride content.
Diaphoretic (adjective) is a descriptive term pertaining to, or causing perspiration. In
pharmacology and medicine, diaphoretic (noun, plural: diaphoretics) is an agent inducing or
promoting insensible perspiration.

3. What is methemoglobinemia?

Methemoglobinemia (MetHb) is a blood disorder in which an abnormal amount of


methemoglobin is produced. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that carries
and distributes oxygen to the body. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin. With
methemoglobinemia, the hemoglobin can carry oxygen, but is not able to release it
effectively to body tissues.

4. Why is Potassium nitrate added to Stramonium leaves? What is the use of this drug?
 potassium nitrite is added to enhance its combustibility; it serves as an oxidizing agent to
facilitate burning.
 Stramonium leaves are often burned to volatilize the alkaloidal components to alleviate the
paroxysms of asthma.
 jimson weed is used to treat asthma, cough, flu (influenza), swine flu, and nerve diseases.
Some people use it as a recreational drug to cause hallucinations and a heightened sense of
well-being (euphoria).

References:
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000562.htm
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-921/jimson-weed#:~:text=Jimson%20weed
%20is%20a%20plant,well%2Dbeing%20(euphoria).
https://www.rxlist.com/diuretics/drug-class.htm
https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/diaphoretic
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Potassium-nitrate

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