PREPARATION OF INORGANIC 65
COMPOUNDS
EXPERIMENT 7.1
To prepare apure sample offerrous emmonium sulphale (Molu ssul)
(FeSO,. (NH),SO,. 6H,01.
THEORY
Mohr's salt is prepared by dissolving an cquinolar mixture of hydrated ferrous sulphate and
ammonium sulphate in water containing a little of sulphuric acid, and then subjecting the
resulting solution to crystallization when light green crystals of ferrous ammonium sulphate.
FeSO, (NH),SO,.6H,0 separate out.
FeSO,.7H,0 + (NH),SO4 FeSO,.(NH),SO,6H,0+ H,0
Ferrous sulphate Ammonium sulphate Mohr's salt
278 132 392
REQUIREMENTS
Two beakers (250 ml), china-dish, funnel, funnel-stand, glass-rod, wash-bottle, tripod stand
and wire-gauze.
Ferrous sulphate crystals, ammonium sulphate crystals,dilute sulphuric acid and ethyl
alcohol.
PROCEDURE
ferrous sulphate and
1. Take a 250 ml beaker and wash it with water. Transfer 7.0g
ml of dilute sulphuric acid
3.5 g ammonium sulphate crystals to it. Add about 2-3
to prevent the hydrolysis of ferrous sulphate.
2. In another beaker boil about 20 ml of water for
about 5 minutes to expel dissolved
air.
first beaker in small instalments at
3. Add the boiling hot water to the contentsin the completely dissolved.
a time. Stir with a glass rod until the salts have
undissolved impurities and transfer the filtrate to a
4. Filter the solution to remove
china-dish.
time to concentrate it to the crystalisation
5. Heat the solution in the china-dish for some
point.
Place the china-dish containing saturated solution over a beaker full of cold water.
6.
separate out.
On cooling crystals of Mohr's salt
Decant off the mother liquor quickly. Wash the crystals in the china-dish with a
7. sulphuric acid sticking to the crystals.
small guantity of alcohol to remove any
between filter paper pads.
8. Dry the crystals by placing them
OBSERVATIONS
...... 2
Weight of crystals obtained =......
Expected yield
Colour of the crystals
Shape of the crystals shane
crystals of Mohr'ssalt are monoclinic in
Note. The
PRECAUTIONS
1. Cool the solution slowly to get good crystals.
2. Do not disturb the solution while it is being cooled.
3. Do not heat the solution for a long time as it may oxidize ferrous ions to ferric ions.
