Experiment # 4

Determination of moisture content in fertilizer sample

Name: Date due: 4/2/2021

Nombre, Justin Mar C. Date performed: 4/1/2021
BSFT-1
 Abstract

This experiment aims to try and do a quantitative determination of

percent moisture in unknown sample through constant weighing and to
elucidate the principles and importance of constant weighing. The
determination, in quantitative chemical analysis, is disbursed by
converting the analyte into an insoluble substance which is isolated and
weighed. The moisture content of unknowns ample is decided by oven
drying the sample to a continuing weight. The cooling and heating
processes were repeated until a relentless weight was obtained. All data
were then recorded. The cooling time utilized in obtaining the constant
weight of the empty crucible should be the identical with the cooling
time in obtaining the constant weight of the crucible with the
sample. the percent moisture was 0.7471± Δ 0.0003% moisture.
Constant weighing had really a big factor on the successive
determination of percent moisture in fertilizer sample since it explained
the reliability of the obtained data.
 Chapter I
Introduction
Over the years, the used of gravimetric methods in quantitative
analyses has declined due to the development of other techniques that
are superior in some ways. There are two major methods classified
under gravimetric analysis, those are precipitation and volatilization.
The determination, in gravimetric analysis, is carried out by converting
the analyte into an insoluble substance which is isolated and weighed.
In analyses, the materials should be dry at 105-110°C before
proceeding to the determination and to report the result of analyses on a
dry basis. This is followed in light of the fact that the moisture substance
may fluctuate generally with various atmospheric humidity, and analyses
made under distinctive moistness conditions may not be in agreement.
The dampness content influences the actual properties of a substance
like weight, thickness, consistency, refractive index, electrical
conductivity and some more.
In this experiment, the moisture of unknown sample is determined
by oven drying sample to a constant weight at 110°C. the sample, a
precipitate and container was brought to a constant weight by a cycle
involves heating at an appropriate temperature, cooling and weighing.
This cycle is repeated as many times as needed to obtain successive
weights that agreed within 0.0002 to 0.003 grams of one another.
Although this method suffers from the disadvantage of being tedious. It
can be offset by the fact that a large number of samples can be
processed simultaneously.
 Chapter II
Methodology

The materials and apparatus used in the experiment were a pair of

crucible tongs, analytical balance, crucible with cover, a pencil,
desiccator, oven, and spatula.
A. Preparation of crucibles. This process was led one gathering
before the experiment proper. The two crucibles and two covers
were thoroughly wash and clean, before they were used for
drying the precipitate. The two crucibles and covers were
properly labeled with pencil and were place in the oven set at
110°C and were kept there until the next laboratory period.
B. Constant wishing of crucibles. The hot crucibles with covers
were transfer into a desiccator using a pair of crucible tongs and
left the desiccator with the crucibles in the balance room. The
crucibles were cooled for 15 minutes and the weight of each
crucible was obtained. The crucibles were transferred to the
oven and were dried at 110°C for 30 minutes after weighing, the
crucibles in the oven were slightly covered ajar.
The cooling and heating process were repeated and the constant
is obtained, the constant weight was attained and the crucibles
were kept with covers in a desiccator.
C. Moisture analysis. This process has two trials. The fertilizer
sample was weighed about 3.0 to the nearest 0.1 mg into a clean
and the crucible with cover was constantly weigh. The crucible
with the sample were placed in the oven and were covered
slightly ajar allowing the water vapor escaped. The sample were
dried at 110°C for 1 hour. After one hour, the crucibles were
covered and transferred in a desiccator. The desiccator was
place in the balance room and cooled the sample for 15 minutes
each weighing. The weight of the crucible with cover and
fertilizer were recorded. After weighing the crucibles were
transferred to the oven and were heat for 30 minutes. The
cooling and heating process were repeated and constant weight
was obtained.

Chapter III
Result and discussion
Table 1. Constant Weighing of Crucible
Weight 1 45. 9581±0.0002 g
Weight 2 45. 9597±0.0002 g
Weight 3 45. 9591±0.0002 g
Constant Weight 45. 9591±0.0002 g

Table 2. Constant Weighing of Crucible and Fertilizer Sample

Weight 1 49. 5597 ±0.0002 g
Weight 2 49. 5594±0.0002 g
Constant Weight of Crucible 49. 9591 ±0.0002 g
+ Sample
Constant Weight of Empty 49. 9591 ±0.0002 g
Crucible
Net Weight of dried sample 3.6003 ±0.0003 g
 The first part of the experiment was to see the constant
weight of the crucible by removing the moisture it had absorbed
from the environment. This was done through repeated oven
drying and weighing until a relentless weight was
obtained. when the crucible was aloof from the oven, it had
been placed in a very desiccator. This prevents it from
reabsorbing moisture from the air. it absolutely was also
weighed after a fifteen-minute settle down, allowing it to
acclimatize to temperature. This prevents the results of dynamic
buoyancy inside the beam balance when weight measured. a
relentless weight was obtained when a maximum difference of
0.0003 g was observed between two successive weighing of the
crucible. This was because the chemical balance employed
in the experiment had a tolerance of 0.0002 g. The calculated
uncertainty reading between successive measurements on this
device was 2.8284 x 10-4 g which is approximately 0.0003
g. the identical chemical balance was used though out the
experiment. The crucible was employed in measuring the
load of the fertilizer sample. Thus, by obtaining and maintaining
the crucible’s constant weight, its effect on the measurement of
the sample’s weight is eliminated. The fertilizer sample was
then dispensed into the crucible. The fertilizer sample was
pound into fine powder beforehand. This increasing the
particle’s expanse and speeding up the drying process and other
reactions that the sample would be subjected to. The sample’s
weight was obtained using weighing by difference. Weighing by
difference was done by obtaining two measurements, one was
the crucible’s constant weight and therefore the other was the
load of the crucible with the sample, then subtracting the
2 weights. This prevents contact of the sample with laboratory
utensils or weighing paper thus preventing the loss of a little of
the sample which could adhere to the utensil or paper. It also
 limits the introduction of moisture and into the sample. the
load of the sample obtained was 3.6274 +0.0003 g, which
might be remarked because the wet sample. The wet sample
with crucible was subjected to repeated oven drying and
weighing until a continuing weight was obtained. the
burden obtained was the “dry weight” of the sample, where the
moisture from the sample would have evaporated. The
difference within the weight of the wet and dry sample would
be the quantity of moisture present within the sample. it had
been found that the sample had a Δ % moisture of 0.7471
+.0003.

Chapter IV
Calculation

Calculation of the moisture content of fertilizer:

wet sample−dry sample
Equation: wet sample x 100 = %moisture content
( 3.6274 ±0.0002 ) −(3.6003 ± 0.0002)
x 100=0.7471 ± Δ 0.0003% moisture
3.6 274 ± 0.0002
 Chapter V
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The calculated moisture content of the fertilizer sample was 0.7471
±.0003 Δ % which is a very low percentage. This would mean that the
product is pure because most of the weight would come from the
composition of the fertilizer and not from moisture.

REFERENCES
[1] Fifield; Kealey. Principles and Practice of Analystical
Chemistry, 5th ed; Blackwell Science Ltd: London, U.K., 2002
[2] Kenkel, J. Analytical Chemistry for Technitians, 3rd ed; CRS
Press LLC: U.S.A., 2003
[3] Eastern Michigan University.
https://www.emich.edu/chemistry/genc hemlab/documents/10-
phosphorus.pdf. (accessed on 2 March 2015)
[4] Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$departme nt/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex920.
(accessed on 2 March 2015)
[5] Metlo-Toledo International Inc.
http://us.mt.com/us/en/home/applicati
ons/Laboratory_weighing/Moisture_fam_ browse_main.html. (accessed
on 2 March 2015)
https://www.coursehero1.com/file/11200785986/Expt12-
Determination-of-Moisture-Content-of-Fertilizer-Sample/(access on 2
august 2014)
 https://www.academia.edu/12327176/
Gravimetric_Determination_of_Moisture_Content_and_Phosphorus_Co
ntent_in_Fertilizers (access on 10 February 2015)