Abstract
Spectrophotometry is a very common method in Chemistry. In other
circumstances it has been used to study the position of equilibrium and even the
progress of different reactions. In the range where the Beer’s law holds, the
method it very reliable. Using the property that different substances absorb light
at different ranges, this experiment used absorbance to find out the
stoichiometry of the complex that was formed. In addition to this the complex of
the mixture was also later deduced using the reasoning that there is a relationship
between concentration and light absorbance. The process used the Job’s method
of continuous variation.
Introduction
2-hydroxybenzoic acid, or Salicylic acid is it is known traditionally has the ability to
form a complex with iron (III), Fe (III). A purplish colored complex is formed
following the reaction of the two compounds. Since the compound is colored, it
has the ability to absorb light at different wave lengths.
When we attempt to adjust the concentration of one reactant, say Iron, the
absorbance of the product increases. When the raise the concentration of Iron
further the absorbance of the complex decreases. This is because the decrease of
the presence of Salicylic acid.
Using the Job’s method, adjusting the concentration of the two reactants, we can
be able to find the stoichiometry of the compound that is formed.
By plotting the absorbance against composition of the solution and then the
maxima of the graph, we can be able to find the stoichiometry of the compound.
The method is applied by working with the Beer-Lambert’s law of absorbance and
the range of concentration on which this law holds.
All we want to come up amounts which would fit in the equation:
aA + bB cC + dD
Materials and Procedure
The optimum pH value for the complex is approximately 2.6 to 2.8, to obtain this
sufficiently, the solutions of the reactants were placed in 0.002 mol dm -3 of
hydrochloric acid. 10-3 mol dm-3 solution of Ferric Nitrate was prepared by
dissolving 0.202g in 500 cm3 of 0.002 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid using a
volumetric flask. The solution was freshly prepared to avoid using a hydrolyzed
solution after standing long. By means of two burettes, 10 cm 3 mixture of the two
solutions was prepared and 10-3 mol dm-3 salicylic acid solution in the rations (1:9,
2:8, 3:7…., 7:3, 8:2, 9:1).
The absorbance of each solution was measured by means of a Corning
absorptiometer using a 600 nm filter and 1 cm cell. Distilled water was as a blank
to calibrate the absorptiometer. A series of ferric solutions having concentrations
of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mol dm-3 were prepared respectively by pipetting 10 cm3
portions of the 10 cm-3 solution into 100, 50, and 25 mol dm-3 graduated flasks
respectively and made to the mark with 0.002 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid.
Similarly a solution of 0.5×10-3 mol dm-3 was made by pipetting 12.3 cm3 of the
stock solution into a 25 cm3 volumetric flask and made up to the mark with 0.002
mol dm-3 of HCl. Then excess solid salicylic acid was added to 10 cm3 of each the
prepared solutions, this was to convert the ferric salt completely into the complex
form.
The solutions were the decanted to remove the excess salicylic acid. The
absorbance of the four resulting solutions were determined using the
corresponding ferric solution without salicylic acid as the blank.
Reference
1. CHE 411. (Revised 2013), Physical Chemistry Laboratory Manual. Chancellor College
2. Athawale, V.D.; Mathur, Parul Experimental Physical Chemistry; New Age
International: New Delhi; 2001.
3. [Link]
UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI
CHANCELLOR COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
CHE 411: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
LAB REPORT
Experiment 2: Complex formation between Ferric ions
and Salicylic Acid
TO : Mr. C. Kayira
FROM : Ceaser Chembezi
Reg. Number : BSC/41/09
Date conducted : 09/12/2013
