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Organic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles And Techniques

Question
CBSEENCH11007645

Describe briefly Carius method for the estimation of sulphur.

Solution

A known mass of an organic compound containing sulphur is heated with an excess of fuming nitric acid in a sealed Carius tube. The whole of sulphur present in the compound is converted to sulphuric acid which is treated with a slight excess of barium chloride solution. Thus, barium sulphate gets precipitated. It is filtered, washed, dried, and weighed. From this, the percentage of sulphur can be calculated. 
Calculations. 
Mass of organic compound taken = W
Mass of barium sulphate formed BaSO4 = ag
Molecular mass of barium sulphate 
                    =   space space stack BaSO subscript 4 space identical to space straight S with left parenthesis 137 plus 32 plus 64 right parenthesis space identical to 32 below
Now 233 g of barium sulphate contain sulphur = 32 g.
space space therefore space straight a space straight g space of space barium space sulphate space would space contain space sulphur space space
space space space equals 32 over 233 cross times space straight a

space space therefore space space Percentage space of space sulphur space

space equals space fraction numerator 32 space cross times space Mass space of space BaSO subscript 4 space cross times space 100 over denominator 233 space cross times space Mass space of space organic space compound end fraction