PURE CHEMISTRY
Name: _________________________
Date: ________
CHAPTER 11: SALTS (SALT PREPRATION)
PRACTICAL WORKSHEET (PREPARING SODIUM SULFATE SALT)

In this worksheet, we will attempt to prepare sodium sulfate salt using each
of the three salt preparation methods:
1. Precipitation method
2. “Excess” method
3. Titration method
1. Using the precipitation method
i.e. solution + solution
a) Let’s try sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate…

Word equation:
sodium chloride + magnesium sulfate  sodium sulfate + magnesium chloride

Chemical equation (including state symbols):
________________________________________________________
Pros
Cons
We will not be able to
___________ off the sodium
sulfate salt

Conclusion:
1
PURE CHEMISTRY
2. Using the “excess” method
i.e. insoluble + acid
a) Let’s try sodium metal and sulfuric acid…

Word equation:
sodium + sulfuric acid  sodium sulfate + water

Chemical equation (including state symbols):
________________________________________________________
Pros
Cons
Allows us to obtain sodium
Sodium catches fires in water -
sulfate
too _______________!
Sodium sulfate can be easily
separated from water by
crystallisation
Conclusion:
b) Let’s try sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid…

Word equation:
sodium hydroxide + sulfuric acid  sodium sulfate + water

Chemical equation:
________________________________________________________
Pros
Cons
Sodium hydroxide is
_____________ in water so we
will never be able to
_____________ off the excess
sodium hydroxide
We cannot actually obtain the
sodium sulfate salt

Conclusion:
2
PURE CHEMISTRY
3. Using the titration method
i.e. acid + alkali
a) Let’s try sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid…

Word equation:
sodium hydroxide + sulfuric acid  sodium sulfate + water

Chemical equation (including state symbols):
2NaOH (s) + H2SO4 (aq)  Na2SO4 (aq) + H2O (l)
Pros
Cons
The use of _____________
allows us to know how much
reagents to add
Sodium sulfate can be easily
separated from water by
crystallisation

Conclusion:
b) Let’s try sodium carbonate and sulfuric acid…

Word equation:
sodium carbonate + sulfuric acid  sodium sulfate + carbon dioxide + water

Chemical equation:
Na2CO3 (s) + H2SO4 (aq)  Na2SO4 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)
Pros
Allows us to obtain sodium
sulfate
Cons
_____________ will affect the
observation of the colour change
at end point
Sodium sulfate is easily
obtainable using crystallisation

Conclusion:
3