7.3.4

Preparing Insoluble Salts & Crystallisation

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Preparing Insoluble Salts & Water of Crystallisation

Insoluble salts form via precipitation by mixing two soluble salts. Many salts are hydrated, containing water of crystallisation, which affects colour.

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Preparing insoluble salts by precipitation

  • Precipitation forms an insoluble salt when two solutions react.
    • Mix two soluble salts containing ions that form an insoluble salt.
    • The insoluble salt appears as a solid precipitate.
    • Filter to separate the solid from the solution.
    • Wash the precipitate and dry it.
  • This method is common for salts like barium sulfate and lead chloride.
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Example of precipitation - Barium sulfate

  • Mix barium chloride solution with sodium sulfate solution.
    • Barium sulfate (BaSO4) forms as a white solid precipitate.
    • Filter and wash the BaSO4 precipitate.
    • Barium sulfate is insoluble in water.
  • This preparation shows how insoluble salts form by double displacement.
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Water of crystallisation explained

  • Water of crystallisation is water trapped inside a crystal structure.
    • It affects the salt's appearance and mass.
  • Hydrated crystals contain water molecules in a fixed ratio.
    • The water can be removed by heating.
  • Water of crystallisation changes a salt from hydrated to anhydrous form.
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Examples of hydrated salts

  • Copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate, CuSO4•5H2O, is bright blue.
    • Heating CuSO4•5H2O removes water, leaving white anhydrous CuSO4.
  • Cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate, CoCl2\u20226H2O, is pink.
    • Heating CoCl2•6H2O removes water, turning it blue.
  • These changes help identify water of crystallisation in salts.

Jump to other topics

1States of Matter

2Atoms, Elements & Compounds

3Stoichometry

4Electrochemistry

5Chemical Energetics

6Chemical Reactions

7Acids, Bases & Salts

8The Periodic Table

9Metals

10Chemistry of the Environment

11Organic Chemistry

11.1Formulae, Functional Groups & Terminology

11.2Naming Organic Compounds

11.3Fuels

11.4Alkanes

11.5Alkenes

11.6Alcohols

11.7Carboxylic Acids

11.8Polymers

12Experimental Techniques & Chemical Analysis

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