GRAVIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF PHOSPORUS IN FERTILIZER SAMPLES Submitted By: Frances Abegail G.

Quezon Gravimetric analysis is the process where the mass of the product is used to calculate for the mass of the analyte. !" #n this e$periment% gravimetric analysis is used to determine the amount of phosporus in a given fertilizer sample. &he same sample from e$periment ' was used. &he pertinent chemical reaction in this e$periment is: ()'* + ),*-'. + /)-+ +0g'+ +*). 0g/)-,*- 1)'*2s3 2!3 '" As shown above% the reaction proceeds only in basic medium. &his is why /)4 was used since it dissociates to form /) -+ and *). ions. /)-5l is an acidic salt% therefore it cannot be used as a substitute for /) 4. &he type of gravimetry used in this e$periment is precipitation gravimetry. &his type of gravimetry separates the analyte from the solution as a precipitate and converts it to a compound of 6nown composition that can be weighed. 4" &he steps of precipitation gravimetry are as stated: preparation of the solution% precipitation% digestion% washing and filtering the precipitate% drying and ignition% and weighing. -" #n the e$periment% the fertilizer solids were dissolved with -7 m8 disilled water and the solids were filtered. &his part is the solution preparation in precipitation gravimetry. &he supernate was reacted with 0gS*-9)'* and /)4. :pon the first addition% molecules aggregate to form a nucleous and further addition of reagent would yield to more nucleous or build up on e$isting nuclei to from a precipitate. &his can be predicted by the ;on <eirman ratio that states that relative supersaturation is inversely proportional to particle size. Slowly adding the reagent% in this case /)4% yields a lower value for relative supersaturation% therefore gives larger particles. -" &hese larger particles are easier to filter and there are less chances that some precipitate would accidentally =oin the supernate during the filtration. &he reaction yielded a white precipitate that was left to stand for !( minutes. &he !( minutes allotted for digestion is important because digestion involves dissolution of and reprecipitation of particles resulting to better precipitate characteristics. #t allows the particles to stay with their origins% thus enabling them to react further and form larger crystals at the e$pense of smaller ones. -" &he precipitate was filtered and then washed with water and ethanol% heated% and then weighed in the analytical balance. &he precipitate% 0g/)-,*-1)'* was washed with >(? ethanol after distilled water because ethanol is more volatile and would evaporate after the washing later on% as opposed with water. &abulated below are possible sources of errors in the e$periment: Table 1. Sources o Errors Error E ec! o" P#os$orus De!er%&"a!&o" Some supernate was spilled during 8ower phosporus levels would be the second filtration process determined 8ower phosporus levels would be Some 0g/)-,*-1)'* precipitate determined was still left on the walls of the

bea6er after the ethanol and distilled water washings Some 0g/)-,*-1)'* precipitate was spilled during the transfer to the dessicator

8ower phosporus levels would be determined

&he goal of the e$periment is to calculate the , content of the sample in the form of ,'*(. *ne of the data computed for ,'*( percent content did not pass the Q.test at >(? confidence level and therefore should not be included in the computations. &his re=ected data is 4-.>>'?. &he average , '*( percent content of the sample is '@.>@! A 7.77>. &his has a percent error of -(? compared to the theoretical value of '7?. &he standard deviation value is 7.7-. &his is a low value% meaning that the data is precise% but =udging from the percent error% the data is not accurate. REFERENCES !")arris% B. Quantitative Chemical Analysis (th ed. <.). Freeman and 5ompany: /ew Cor6% '77!. '"#nstitute of 5hemistry. Quantitative Inorganic Analysis Laboratory Manual 4" Faculty of ,harmacy. http:DDwww.phar.6ufauniv.comDstaffDaymenD!.pdf 2accessed April '(% '7!43. -"#slamic :niversity of Gaza. http:DDwww.monzir.pal.netD5hem ?'7'4!7D5ontentsD GravimetricEAnalysis.htm 2accessed April '(% '7!43.