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Gasometric Assays

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Gasometric methods are not much used by assayers, and, therefore, those students who wish to
study them more fully than the limits of this work will permit, are recommended to consult Winkler and
Lunge’s text-book on the subject. The methods are without doubt capable of a more extended
application. In measuring liquids, ordinary variations of temperature have but little effect, and
variations of atmospheric pressure have none at all, whereas with gases it is different. Thus, 100 c.c.
of an ordinary aqueous solution would, if heated from 10° C. to 20° C., expand to about 100.15 c. c.
100 c. c. of a gas similarly warmed would expand to about 103.5 c.c., and a fall of an inch in the
barometer would have a very similar effect. And in measuring gases we have not only to take into
account variations in volume due to changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure, but also that
which is observed when a gas is measured wet and dry. Water gives off vapour at all temperatures,
but the amount of vapour is larger as the temperature increases.

By ignoring these considerations, errors of 3 or 4 per cent, are easily made; but, fortunately, the
corrections are simple, and it is easy to construct a piece of apparatus by means of which they may
be reduced to a simple calculation by the rule of three.

The volume of a gas is, in practice, usually reduced to that which it would be at a temperature of o°
C., when the column of mercury in the barometer is 760 mm. high. But, although convenient, this
practice is not always necessary. The only thing required is some way of checking the variations in
volume, and of calculating what the corrected volume would be under certain fixed conditions.

Suppose that at the time a series of standardisings is being made, 100 c.c. of air were confined in a
graduated tube over moist mercury. These 100 c.c. would vary in volume from day to day, but it would
always be true of them that they would measure 100 c.c. under the same conditions as those under
which the standardisings were made. If, then, in making an actual assay, 35.4 c.c. of gas were
obtained, and the air in the tube measured 105 c.c., we should be justified in saying, that if the
conditions had been those of the standardising, the 105 c.c. would have measured 100 c.c., and the
35.4 c.c. would have been 33.7 ; for 105 : 100 :: 35.4 : 33.7. The rule for using such a piece of
apparatus for correcting volumes is :—Multiply the c.c. of gas obtained by 100, and divide by the
number of c.c. of air in the apparatus.
If it is desired to calculate the volumes under standard conditions (that is, the gas dry, at o° C. and
760 mm. barometric pressure) the calculations are easily performed, but the temperature and
pressure must be known.

Correction for Moisture.—The “ vapour tension ” of water has been accurately determined for various
temperatures, and it may be looked upon as counteracting the barometric pressure. For example, at
15° C. the vapour tension equals 12.7 millimetres of mercury; if the barometer stood at 750 mm., the
correction for moisture would be made by subtracting 12.7 from 750, and taking 737.3 mm. to be the
true barometric pressure.

The vapour tensions for temperatures from o° C. to 20° C. are as follows :—

The correction for pressure is:—Multiply the volume by the actual pressure and divide by 760.
The correction for temperature :—Multiply the volume by 273 and divide by the temperature (in
degrees Centigrade) added to 273.

For all three corrections the following rules hold good. To reduce to 0° C. and 760 mm. dry.

Corrected Volume = Volume x 0.3592 x (Pressure – Tension)/Temperature + 273

To find the volume, which a given volume under standard conditions would assume, if those
conditions are altered.

Resulting Volume = Volume x 2.784 x Temperature + 273/Pressure – Tension

As an example, we will suppose that it is desired to enclose in the apparatus referred to on p. 45, a
volume of air, which, when dry (at o° C. and 760 mm.), shall measure 100 c.c., whilst the actual
temperature is 15° C., and the pressure 750 mm.
The second formula is the one to be used, and we get 108.7 c.c.
Of this type of analysis only one example will for the present be given, as the subject will again be
considered in Part III.—“The Analysis of Furnace Gases.”

Apparatus, Reagents.—The special piece of apparatus termed the nitro¬meter is shown in fig. 69,
and consists of two vertical glass tubes a and b, connected at the foot by a length of stout-walled
rubber tubing c, and attached by clamps to a suitable stand. The tube b is plain, but the tube a is
graduated from the top downwards, usually in 50 c.cs. divided in tenths. The top of this tube is
contracted and terminated in a tap (Greiner and Friedrich’s patent), surmounted by a funnel d and a
capillary tube e. By this tap the tube may be connected to either the funnel or capillary, or may be
disconnected from both.

Various forms of nitrometer are in use (see Sutton), but for the present the student may employ the
form just described.

For analysis the student may take a sample of potassium nitrate and estimate the percentage of NO3
present. For this purpose quicksilver will be necessary for the measuring liquid, and in reading its
volume the student may read the top of the meniscus.

Method, Reactions.—When strong H2SO4 is added to a solution of KNO3 the following reaction
occurs,
KNO3 + H2SO4= HNO3 + KHSO4

the acid sulphate being formed, and in the presence of mercury the nitrogen is liberated as nitric
oxide, NO.

2KNO3 + 3Hg2SO4 + 4H2SO4 = K2SO4 + 6HgSO4 + 2NO + 4H2O.

From the measured volume of NO the percentage of NO3 present may be calculated.
101 gms. KNO3 contain 30 gms. NO, or 1 gm. KNO3 contains 30/101 = .297 gm. NO.
But 1 litre NO at normal pressure and temperature weighs .0896 x 16 + 14/2 = 1.344 gms., therefore
the volume of .297 gm. NO at normal temperature and pressure will be 1000 x .297/1.344 = .221 c.cs.
That is, 1 gram of pure KNO3 will produce 221 c.cs. of NO at normal temperature and pressure. Then
1 c.c. of NO under these conditions will correspond to 1/21 = .00452 gm. KNO3 or .00452 x 62/101 =
.00277 gm. NO3.
Measurement of Gases.—To obtain a correct reading of the volume of a gas, the following factors
have to be taken into account:—

1. The Temperature of the Gas.

2. The Pressure of the Gas.
3. The Aqueous Vapour present.

1. The Temperature of the Gas.—As the volume of a gas varies directly as the absolute temperature
T (= centigrade temperature + 273) when the pressure is constant, then, if the temperature at which
the volume of the gas is read is t° C., and V = the volume at t° C., then the volume V0 at 0° C. is
obtained thus,—

are the absolute temperatures at the centigrade temperatures 0° and t° respectively.

2. The Pressure of the Gas.—When the temperature of a gas is constant the volume varies
inversely as the pressure. This pressure, being in the analysis considered as that due to the
atmosphere, is taken as the height of the barometer in millimetres, the standard pressure being taken
at 760 mm. Then if V0 be the volume at 760 mm. and V be the volume read in the analysis at a
barometric pressure P1,
where P1 = pressure in analysis and P = standard pressure.
Combining 1. and 2. we get

For example, find the volume at standard temperature and pressure of 20 c.cs. at 17° C. and 770
mm. barometric pressure.

3. The Aqueous Vapour present.—If any aqueous vapour (moisture or humidity) be present in the
gas measured it exerts a pressure against the pressure of the atmosphere (barometric pressure),
therefore the volume of a gas is increased if aqueous vapour be present. For the student’s purpose
he may take the pressure or tension of aqueous vapour from the following table; for very accurate
work, however, he should refer to the tables given in physical text-books.

Thus, for example, if a gas contain aqueous vapour and be at a temperature of 18° C., this aqueous
vapour will exert a pressure of 15.4 mm. against the barometric pressure; therefore, in making the
necessary calculation, this quantity must be subtracted from the barometric reading, and the
correction formula now becomes—
where P2= the pressure or tension of the aqueous vapour. Thus, in the example just given,

The Analysis.—Raise the tube b and into it pour quicksilver until it just reaches the glass tap in a and
fills the bottom two inches of b. This condition is obtained by raising or lowering the tube b as may be
required. Close the tap and clamp b. Weigh out .1 gm. KNO3. Transfer to the funnel. Add 2 to 4 c.cs.
of water, and when dissolved open the tap, connecting the funnel to a, and gently unclamp and lower
b till the liquid has passed into a. Rinse the funnel with about 1 c.c. of distilled water from a wash
bottle with a fine jet. Again lower b till the wash passes into a. Then rinse the funnel with 3 c.cs. 36E.
H2SO4, running it down a glass rod against the sides of the funnel. Again lower b till the acid passes
into a. Quickly add another wash of 3 c.cs. 36E. H2SO4. Close the tap when the wash is transferred
to a. If any air has been enclosed during these operations it should be removed by raising the tube b
slightly and gently opening the tap, and when the air has escaped the tap is closed.

Unclamp a; incline it in both hands almost horizontally, and with a quick motion bring it back to the
vertical. Repeat this process for two or three minutes, so that the mercury and the acid are well
mixed. Now adjust the tubes in the clamps so that the mercury in a is approximately at the same level
as that in b. Allow to stand till the temperature coincides with that of the room. Now carefully adjust
the tube b so that the mercury in it is higher than that in a by 1 mm. for every 6.5 mm. of solution in a.
This makes the necessary allowance for the short column of liquid in a. Read the volume of gas in a
(call this V).

Open the tap. The level of the mercury should not alter. Raise b so that the liquid passes into funnel.
Take the temperature of the liquid (call this t° C.) and read the height of the barometer (call this P1).

From the table obtain (by interpolation if necessary) the vapour pressure corresponding to the
temperature t° C. Then by the formula—

calculate the volume of the gas at normal temperature and pressure.

Multiply this volume by the value of 1 c.c. of NO in terms of NO3 (1 c.c. = .00277 gm. NO3) and the
quantity of NO3 present is obtained. The percentage is calculated as usual.

Note.—When estimating the NO3 in KNO3 or NaNO3 it is more convenient to use the modified
(Lunge’s) form of nitrometer of large capacity. Larger quantities of nitrate may then be taken for
analysis.

Further information regarding the use of the capillary tube will be found in Sutton’s Volumetric
Analysis.

In Part III. the Hempel burette will be described, and the student should note that with it, as the
volumes read are relative and the conditions nearly uniform, it is not necessary for general work to
make the temperature and other corrections just described. In the time taken for the analysis the
fluctuations in these are, with care, but slight.

by L D Michaud | February 5, 2018 | Various |

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