--%>

Explain the process of adsorption in solution.

The process of adsorption can occurs in solutions also. This implies that the solid surfaces can also adsorb solutes from solutions. Some clarifying examples are listed below:


(i) When an aqueous solution of ethanoic acid (CH3COOH) is shaken with charcoal. The concentration of acid in the solution is found to decrease because a part of acid is adsorbed by charcoal.

(ii) Litmus solution become colourless when it is shaken with charcoal which indicates that the dye of litmus solution is adsorbed by charcoal.

(iii) Mg(OH)2 is colorless but when it is precipitated in the presence of magneton reagent (a bluish dye) the precipitate acquire blue colour due to adsorption of dye on their surface.

It has also been observed that if we have a solution containing more than one solutes, then the solid adsorbents can adsorb certain solutes in preference to other solutes and solvents. The property is made use of in removing colouring matters from solutions of organic substances. For example, raw sugar solution is decolourised by animal charcoal.

Factors affecting adsorption from solutions

Adsorption from solutions by the solid adsorbents depends on the following factors.

(i) Nature of adsorbent and adsorbate

(ii) Temperature: the extent of adsorption, in general, decreases with rise in the surface area of adsorbent.

(iii) Surface area: the extent adsorption increase with the increase in the surface area of adsorbent.

(iv) Concentration: the effect of concentration on the extent of adsorption isotherm similar to Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The relationship between mass of solute adsorbed per gram (x/m) is given by the following relations:
                                                 
x/m = kC1/n              (n > 1)

Taking logarithm, equation becomes
                                               
log x/m = log k + (1/n) log C

A graph between log x/m and log C is a straight line, similar to graph.

Experimental verification of equation can be done by taking equal volume of acetic acid solutions of different concentrations in four different bottles fitted with stoppers. The contents should be well mixed. The concentration of acetic acid is found in each bottle. This concentration refers to equilibrium concentration (c). The difference of original concentration and equilibrium concentration gives the value of amount of acetic acid adsorbed by charcoal (x)log (x/m) values of different plotted against C

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : Modern periodic table and Mendeleevs

    Differentiate between the modern periodic table and Mendeleevs table?

  • Q : What is Distillation Separation by

    Separation by distillation can be described with a boiling point diagram. The important process of distillation can now be investigated. From the boiling point diagram one can see that if a small amount of vapour were removed from a liquid of composit

  • Q : Utilization of glacial acetic acid What

    What is the utilization of glacial acetic acid? Briefly describe the uses.

  • Q : Reducible Representations The number of

    The number of times each irreducible representation occurs in a reducible representation can be calculated.Consider the C2v point group as described or Appendix C. you can see that (1) sum of

  • Q : Finding Active mass of urea Can someone

    Can someone please help me in getting through this problem. 10 litre solution of urea comprises of 240 gm urea. The active mass of urea is: (i) 0.04 (ii) 0.02 (iii) 0.4 (iv) 0.2

  • Q : Procedure to judge that organic

    Describe briefly the procedure to judge that the given organic compound is pure or not?

  • Q : Problem based on molarity Select the

    Select the right answer of the question. If 18 gm of glucose (C6H12O6) is present in 1000 gm of an aqueous solution of glucose, it is said to be: (a)1 molal (b)1.1 molal (c)0.5 molal (d)0.1 molal

  • Q : C-X bond length in halobenzene less

    C-X bond length in halobenzene less then C-X bond lengthin CH3-x

  • Q : P- block why pentahalids are more

    why pentahalids are more covalent than tetrahalids

  • Q : Describe Enzyme Catalyzed reactions

    Many enzyme catalyzed reactions obeys a complex rate equation that can be written as the total quantity of enzyme and the whole amount of substrate in the reaction system. Many rate equations that are more complex than first and se