Heat of Precipitation

Heat change
When .. mole of
Is formed from its ions in aqueous solution

Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + K2SO4 (aq) PbSO4 (s) + 2 KNO3 (aq)

H = - 50 kJ mol-

Pb 2+ (aq)

+ SO4 2- (aq) PbSO4 (s)

H = - 50 kJ mol-1

Energy level diagram

Energy
Pb 2+ (aq)

50 kJ heat is released when 1 mole of

lead(II)sulphate , PbSO4 is formed
+ SO4 2- (aq)
H = -50 kJ mol-1

PbSO4 (s)

Some example of precipitation reaction are

(a) When silver nitrate solution is added to hydrochloric acid, a white precipitate,
silver chloride , is formed

(b) When barium chloride solution is added to sodium sulphate solution, a white
precipitate, barium sulphate, is formed

(c) When lead (II) nitrate solution is added to potassium iodide solution, a yellow
precipitate, lead (II)iodide is formed.

Experiment
To determine the heat of precipitation if silver chloride
Materials
0.5 mol dm-3 silver nitrate solution ,0.5 mol dm-3 sodium chloride solution
Apparatus
1. Thermometer, polystyrene cup with cover, 50cm3 measuring cylinder
Procedure
2. 50 cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 silver nitrate solution is measured and poured into a
polystyrene cup.
3. The initial temperature of the silver nitrate solution is measured after a few minutes
4. 50 cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 sodium chloride solution is measured
5. The initial temperature of the sodium chloride solution is measured after a few minutes
6. The sodium chloride solution is added quickly and carefully to the silver nitrate
solution.
7. The mixture is stirred with a thermometer
8. The highest temperature of the reacting mixture is measured and recorded.
Results:
Initial temperature of silver nitrate solution/C
Initial temperature of sodium chloride solution/C
Average temperature of both solutions/C
Highest temperature of the mixture/C
Increase in temperature/C

Solution
S1 : H = mc

S2 : Calculate the number of moles of AgCl produced

Chemical equation

Ionic equation

Number of moles of Ag +

Number of moles of Cl-

S3 : calculate the heat of precipitation of AgCl

.. mol of Ag + react with

.. mol of Cl- to form..mol of AgCl

Thus mol of Ag + will react with . mol of Cl- to form ...mol of AgCl
Therefore the precipitation of 1 mole of AgCl produces =

Heat change
Number of moles

The heat of precipitation for AgCl , H = kJ mol-1.

Precautions during the experiment

(a) Two solution are mixed quickly
avoid too much heat loss to the surroundings
(b) A p cup is used
good insulator of heat
reduce heat loss to the surroundings

of heat

Exercise
1. In an experiment, 50cm3 of 1 mol dm-3 potassium chloride solution,

KCl is added to

50cm3 of 1 mol dm-3 silver nitrate, AgNO3 solution. The reacting mixture is stirred and the
highest temperature obtained is recorded. The results of the experiment are shown below.
Initial temperature of potassium chloride solution, KCl

= 28.0C

Initial temperature of silver nitrate, AgNO3 solution

= 29.0C

Highest temperature of the mixture

= 35.5C

Calculate the heat of precipitation of silver chloride, AgCl

[ c = 4.2J g-1 C-1; Density of solution = 1.0 g cm-3]
Solution
S1 : H = mc

S2 : Calculate the number of moles of AgCl produced

Chemical equation

Ionic equation

Number of moles of Ag +

Number of moles of Cl-

S3 : calculate the heat of precipitation of AgCl

.. mol of Ag + react with

.. mol of Cl- to form..mol of AgCl

Thus mol of Ag + will react with . mol of Cl- to form ...mol of AgCl
Therefore the precipitation of 1 mole of AgCl produces =

Heat change
Number of moles

of heat

The heat of precipitation for AgCl , H = kJ mol-1.

2. In an experiment to determine the heat of precipitation of sodium (II)sulphate , 50cm3 of

0.5 mol dm-3 lead (II) nitrate solution is added to 50cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 sodium sulphate
solution in a polystyrene cup. The following results are obtained.
Initial temperature of lead (II) nitrate solution

= 28.0 C

Initial temperature of sodium sulphate solution

= 28.0 C

Highest temperature reached when two solution are mixed = 30.5 C

[ c = 4.2J g-1 C-1; Density of solution = 1.0 g cm-3]
Calculate the heat of precipitation for lead (II) sulphate

4. The thermochemical equation for the precipitation of lead (II)sulphate is given below
Pb2+(aq) + SO42-(aq)

PbSO4 (s)

H = -50.4 kJ mol -1

When 100cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 lead (II)nitrate solution is added to 100cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3
sodium
sulphate solution, lead (II)sulphate is precipitated. What is the temperature change in the
reacting mixture
in the experiment?
[ c = 4.2J g-1 C-1; Density of solution = 1.0 g cm-3]

5. An experiment is carried out by adding 50cm3 of 0.5 mol of lead (II) nitrate to the 50cm3
of 0.5 mol dm-3 of potassium iodide. The energy level diagram below show the reaction
between lead (II) nitrate and potassium iodide. Calculate the temperature change of
precipitation reaction

Energy
Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + 2 KI (aq)
H = -42.0 kJ mol-1

PbI2 (s) + 2 KNO3 (aq)

SPM 2004

Figure 4 shows the set-up of the apparatus of an experiment to determine the heat of
precipitation.
25.0 cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 silver nitrate solution is reacted with 25.0cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3
sodium chloride solution. As a result there is a change in temperature of the mixture and
white precipitate is formed.

(a) Why is a polystyrene cup used in the experiment?

..
[1m]
(b) (i) Based on the change of temperature in the experiment , state the type of reaction that
occurred.

..
[1m]
(ii) How is the total energy of the products different from the total energy of the
reactants?
.

..
.

..
[1m]
(c) State one step should be taken while adding the two solutions in order to get a more
accurate result.

..
[1m]

(d) The ionic equation for the precipitation reaction of silver chloride is

Ag + (aq) + Cl- (aq) AgCl(s)

(i) What is the number of moles of Ag+ ions that reacted with Cl- ions?

[1m]
(ii) Calculate the heat change of the precipitation reaction that has taken place.
[Specific heat capacity of the solution is 4.2 J g-1 C-1, Density of the solution is 1 g
cm-3]

[2m]
(iii) Calculate the heat of precipitation for this reaction.

[2m]
(e) The calculated value of the heat of precipitation for this reaction is less than the actual
value.
Give a reason.

..

..
[1m]