UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

CAWANGAN TERENGGANU
KAMPUS BUKIT BESI

CHM 260
BASIC INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS
LABORATORY REPORT

TITLE : UV VISIBLE DETERMINATION OF AN UNKNOWN

CONCENTRATION OF KMNO4 SOLUTION

EXP. NO. : _2__________________________________

GROUP : T4 - AS1213B________________________

N NAME STUDENT ID
O
1. ALYA MAISARAH BINTI MOHD ZUHURI 2019686374
2. NUR SYAHIRAH BINTI ZAINUDDIN 2019289976

3. AMIR FARIS BIN MOHD ZAID 2019400984

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 18 NOVEMBER 2020

LECTURER : DR RAFIE DRAMAN

EXPERIMENT 2 : UV VISIBLE DETERMINATION OF AN UNKNOWN
CONCENTRATION OF KMNO4 SOLUTION

OBJECTIVES
1. To determine the maximum wavelength of potassium permanganate.
2. To plot the calibration curve of potassium permanganate.
3. To determine the concentration of an unknown solution of potassium
permanganate.

THEORY
UV-Vis absorbance spectrophotometers consist of a sample compartments,
light sources and detectors. However, some spectrophotometers may also include
one or more monochromators for the purpose of separating light into its component
wavelengths. There are two general types of spectrophotometers measurements in
the UV and visible region, which are scanning and diode-array. Additionally, the
scanning UV-Vis spectrophotometer contains a monochromator that commonly
consists of holographic gratings. These holographic gratings permit the individual
wavelength light to be subsequently relayed to the sample.
Spectroscopy deals with observations of absorption or emission of
electromagnetic radiation as consequences of atom or molecule transitions from
level of energy to another. A molecule at its lowest state or ‘ground state’ that
absorbs energy of some type reflects that the molecule is undergoing a ‘transition’ to
a higher level of energy, known as the “excited state”. Only when an input energy
precisely matches a molecular transition from one energy level to another, then only
a molecule can absorb energy. In fact, numerous biological and organic molecules
have undergone transitions between energy levels of electronic states of molecule or
atoms. Therefore, the emphasis would be on the visible and ultraviolet regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum in any labs. The most useful region for experiments is
between 250 and 700 nm, though the visible and ultraviolet region of interest is
found between 170 and 800 nm.
At the end of the experiment, an unknown solution concentration and absorbance
of KMnO4 can be determined once the wavelength and concentration levels of
standard solutions have been calibrated, measured and analysed.
METHOD

A. Preparation of the KMnO4 Standard Solutions

1. Firstly, the KMnO4 solid was weighed to be about 0.01 g.
2. Secondly, the above solid was transferred to a 100 mL volumetric flask by
using a funnel to prepare for the ‘stock solution’.
3. Thirdly, the KMnO4 had to be dissolved in order to prepare the stock solution.
Distilled water was used as a solvent in this process.
4. Fourthly, the stock solution needed to be further diluted. 4 volumetric flasks of
100 mL are used for this purpose. The stock solution was then pipetted 5.00
mL, 10.00 mL, 15.00 mL and 20.00 mL into each one of these flasks,
respectively.
5. Fifthly, distilled water was added up to the calibration mark of each flask to
dissolve the stock solution.
6. Finally, the diluted solution in each flask was measured for its concentration.

B. Preparation of the Unknown

1. The unknown solution was prepared by the instructor/lab assistant.

C. Operation of the UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

1. There is a two-slot compartment in the UV-Vis spectrophotometer. One slot is
for blank solution, while another is for sample solution. Two cuvettes are
required to calibrate the blank solution (distilled water) and sample solution
(specific solid solution and distilled water), respectively.
2. The two cuvettes are then to be placed into their respective slots in the
spectrophotometer compartment.
3. Finally, the control panel is to be set for the absorbent (A) to be of a ‘zero’
value. Simultaneously, the baseline correction function is to be set as well to
eliminate any noise factors.

D. Determination of the Absorption Maximum

1. To find the absorption maximum, first, chose the standard KMnO4 solution
with the lowest concentration and placed it in a new cuvette.
2. The slot with the blank solution would remain in the compartment, but the
sample solution slot was filled with the diluted KMnO4.
3. The next step was to set the wavelength using the scan function. The scan
function is to determine the maximum wavelength/absorption. The
common wavelength range within a minimum of 200 nm up to a maximum
of 700 nm was then set. Results were shown in a graphical representation
 format, where the highest point on the curvilinear graph was taken as the
maximum wavelength/absorption.

E. Determination of KMnO4 Concentration

1. First, prepare the calibration curve. Set UV-Vis to the λmax.
2. Let the blank solution to be constant in the compartment for the blank run.
Each one of the 4 standard solutions in cuvettes of 5.00 mL, 10.00 mL,
15.00 mL, 20.00 mL and unknown solution, respectively was later placed
in the sample compartment one after another and sample run to measure
their respective absorbances using the λmax found earlier.
3. Then, the calibration curve is plotted for all the 5 absorbances and
concentration values to derive the function of y = mx + c.

RESULT

Graph 1: Absorbance vs. Wavelength (nm)

Solution Concentration (ppm) Absorbance

Standard 1 5ppm 0.0796

Standard 2 10ppm 0.1546

Standard 3 15ppm 0.2374

Standard 4 20ppm 0.3133

Unknown ? 0.2108

λmax = 525nm

Table 1: the data of concentration (ppm) and absorbance

 Graph 2: Absorbance vs. Concentration (ppm)

Absorptivity constant, ϵ = 0.0157 (gradient of the graph 2)

CALCULATION
Absorptivity constant, ϵ = 0.0157 (gradient from graph 2)

The unknown concentration using y = mx + c

0.2108 = 0.0157x + c
0.2105 = 0.0157x
x = 0.2105 / 0.0157
x = 13.41

Concentration of unknown sample using y = mx + c = 13.41ppm

The unknown concentration using Beer-Lambert Law

A = ϵ bc
0.2108 = 0.0157 (1) ( c )
c = 13.44
Concentration of unknown sample using Beer-Lambert Law = 13.44ppm

There is a slight difference between both equations. Concentration using Beer-

Lambert Law formula is higher and more accurate than the equation of y = mx + c.
The absorbance is proportional to its concentration in solution.

DISCUSSION
The main objective of this experiment is to investigate the maximum
wavelength of potassium permanganate. The procedure was used to determine the
maximum wavelength of potassium permanganate in the stock solution. The
maximum wavelength recorded was plot the calibration curve by using the UV-Vis
instruments. Therefore, the unknown concentration of potassium permanganate also
can be calculated in this experiment.
Based on the first graph which is the absorbance against wavelength graph,
we can see the maximum wavelength is 525nm with the absorbance more than 0.2.
The maximum wavelength is where the wavelength with higher absorbance. By
using the UV-Vis instrument with the correct technique, we will get the accurate data
of maximum wavelength.
Meanwhile for graph 2, we plot the data of absorbance against the
concentration. The graph showed a linear exponential line as the result. Every point
in the graph was the wavelength and absorbance of standard solution 1, 2, 3, 4 and
the unknown. Firstly, the concentration of 5 ppm, we obtained the absorbance was
0.0796. Next for the 10ppm, the absorbance was 0.1546. The concentration of
15ppm shows that it obtained 0.2374 of absorbance. The absorbance for 20ppm was
0.3133 and for the unknown concentration obtains the absorbance of 0.2108. The
slope we got in the graph which is 0.0157 indicates the molar absorptivity of the
potassium permanganate. By using the equation of the graph and also the Beer-
Lambert Law, we obtained a different concentration each. Based on the equation of
the graph, y = mx + c we got the concentration is 13.41ppm and for the Beer’s Law
formula, A = ϵ bc , the b represent the path length which is 1cm. After substitute all
the data in the formula, we obtained the concentration of unknown is 13.43ppm.
There is a slight difference between both equations. Concentration using beer-
lambert law formula is higher and more accurate than the equation in the graph since
some errors have been made during the experiment.
The error as we mention that can be made during the experiment will affect
the accuracy and give the wrong result. Errors can be made in the preparation for
the calibration curve. Most of the student continuously applies too much water and
overwhelms the volumetric flask when diluting the potassium permanganate stock
solution. This systematic error will affect the accuracy of the result.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the maximum wavelength of potassium permanganate was
525nm and the absorbance of potassium permanganate was 0.0157. From the
graph, the equation we obtained is y = 0.0157x + 0.0003. The y value is the
absorbance of the unknown concentration which is 0.2108 and the x indicates the
unknown concentration itself. The Beer’s Law formula used to determine the
concentration of unknown which was 13.43ppm meanwhile by using the formula of y
= mx + c, the unknown concentration was 13.41ppm. The objectives in this
experiment have been achieve.

QUESTIONS

1. What colour of visible light is not absorbed by chlorophyll (the dye in plants
that aids in photosynthesis)

Chlorophyll gives plants their green color because it does not absorb the
green wavelengths of white light.

2. What colours of light are used by chlorophyll in photosynthesis?

Red and blue are used by chlorophyll in photosynthesis. It reflects green light
strongly so it appears green to us.

3. A greenhouse is made out of high-grade green glass that allows only green
wavelengths of light to pass through. Will the plants inside grow well or
poorly? Explain

The plants inside will grow poorly. Because plants reflect green light, they
would have a difficult time to collect enough light to perform photosynthesis.

4. Oz recorded a value of 22.8% transmittance for his unknown. What is his

absorbance?

%T = 22.8%
T = 22.8 / 100 = 0.228
A = -log T
A = -log 0.228
A = 0.642
 5. Why do we close the cover of the spectrophotometer during absorbance
measurements?

The cover of spectrophotometer must be close to get the accurate

absorbance result.

REFERENCES

Experiment 5. Determination of the Concentration of an Unknown Solution by

Photometry. Retrieved from
http://accounts.smccd.edu/batesa/chem210/labmanual/Experiments/Exp
%2005%20Photometry.pdf