Answer to Question #74240 in General Chemistry for ADAM

Question

Assume you have a powder of MgSO4 contaminated with some other substance that does not react with Barium or Chloride. The percentage purity of powdered, impure magnesium sulfate, MgSO4, can be determined by gravimetric analysis. 32.50 g of the impure magnesium sulfate is dissolved in water and the solution is made up to 500.0 mL in a volumetric flask. Different volumes of 0.100 M BaCl2(aq) are added to six separate 20.00 mL samples of this solution. This precipitates the sulfate ions as barium sulfate. The precipitate from each sample is filtered, rinsed with de-ionised water and then dried to constant mass.

The results of this analysis

Mass of impure magnesium sulfate = 32.50g

Volume of volumetric flask = 500.0 mL

Volume of magnesium sulfate solution in each sample = 20.00mL