EXPERIMENT REPORT: CRYSTALLISATION OF POTASSIUM NITRATE
| Theme | Crystallisation |
| Category | Experiments for Children, Chemistry Experiments |
| Main products | Potassium nitrate |
| Short description | Making potassium nitrate crystal is a very simple experiment. It consists of the crystallisation of potassium nitrate. As the solution cools, the solubility of the nitrate decreases and the crystal forms. |
MATERIALS
- 100g Potassium Nitrate. You can see it in Alquera.com
- 250ml Distilled Water. You can see it in Alquera.com
- Petri dish. You can see it in Alquera.com
STEP 1. PREPARE SOLUTION
- Prepare a mixture of 250ml of water and 100g of potassium nitrate in the saucepan where it will be heated. Heat the water to boiling point, stir the mixture well until it is well dissolved and when it reaches a very high temperature, set it aside.
STEP 2. POUR THE SOLUTION
- Once the solution has been prepared, add some of it to the Petri dish.
- For the crystals to form immediately, we will use a large bucket with very cold water, and we will add our plate with the solution, after 5 minutes we can observe the crystals forming.
RESULT AFTER 10 MINUTES
TECHNICAL EXPLANATION
This is the easiest and most effective way to purify complex compounds. It involves dissolving the impurity in the smallest possible amount of a suitable solvent and heating. Under these conditions, a complete solution is formed which, when cooled, supersaturates and crystallisation occurs.
As the solution cools, the solubility of the nitrate decreases and crystals will form in the Petri dish.