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MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
PRACTICAL REPORT
THERMODYNAMICS AND KINETICS (CHM2222)
PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT 2.26
NAME: NANKWANGA SARAH
REG NO: 20/U/1361
STUDENT NO: 2000701361
EXPERIMENT: 2.26
DATE: 28th JUNE, 2022
LECTURERE: KARUME IBRAHIM
TITLE: PHENOL-WATER SYSTEM
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Analysis of partial solubility of phenol- water system
Aim
To study the relationship between solubility of mixture of water with difference percentage
of phenol composition and temperature.
To determine and construct the mutual solubility curve for phenol and water.
To obtain the Critical Solution Temperature (CST) from the mutual solubility curve.
Abstract
This experiment was designed to investigate the relationship between solubility mixtures of
water and phenol and to construct phase diagram of phenol so, the solubility of phenol in
water was investigated. The amount of phenol was fixed throughout the experiment but the
amount of water added was varied instead and this means that the percentage composition
by mass of the two components kept on varying as more water was added. It was found out
that the solubility of phenol in water was affected by temperature. The solubility is also not
the same at all compositions. The critical solution temperature (65.5⁰C) was observed at
(33.3%) phenol composition by mass.
Theory
Two liquids when mixed may be partially miscible . Example of such cases are phenol-
water system. If we add phenol to water it will be soluble up to a certain limit and this
solubility value will increase with increase in temperature. similarly, if we add water to
phenol same phenomena will be observed . The number of homogeneous, mechanically
separable and physically distinct parts of a heterogeneous system is known as the number
of phases, P, of the system. each phase is separated from other phases by a physical
boundary. When an equilibrium exists between a number of phases under external
controlling conditions such as temperature, pressure, and concentration, the following
relationship holds good :
F = C-P + 2 ………. where P = number of Phases in equilibrium, C = number of Components
in the system, and F = number of degrees of Freedom.
Equation (1) is called the Phase Rule, which relates the phases, components and degrees
of freedom of the system. When 2 partially miscible liquids are mixed and shaken together, we
get 2 solutions of different compositions. e.g. on shaking phenol and water, we get 2 layers : the
upper layer is a solution of water in phenol, and the lower layer is a solution of phenol in water. At a
fixed temperature, the composition of each solution is fixed, and both the solutions are in
equilibrium.
Above a particular temperature, such solutions are completely miscible in all proportions. Such a
temperature is known as the Critical Solution Temperature (CST).͛
The phenol-water system is a well-studied example of what physical chemists call
partially miscible liquids. The extent of miscibility is determined by temperature,
as can be seen from the graph below. The inverted U-shaped curve can be
regarded as made up of two halves, the one to the left being the solubility curve
of phenol in water and the other the solubility curve of water in phenol. The
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curves meet at the temperature (66°C) where the saturated solutions of water in
phenol, and phenol in water, have the same composition.
The thermodynamic forces driving the behavior of the phenol-water system are
first visible in the upwardly convex mutual solubility curve, showing that the
enthalpy of solution (ΔHs) in the saturated solution is positive i.e. that the system
absorbs heat and so solubility increases with temperature in accordance with Le
Châtelier’s Principle.
More rigorously, one can ascertain whether solubility of the minor component
increases or decreases with temperature by computing
where s is the solubility expressed in mole fraction units, f2 is the corresponding
activity coefficient and Ts is the temperature at which the solution is saturated.
The line of the umbrella curve charts the variation in composition of saturated
solutions – phenol in water and water in phenol – with temperature. The area to
the left of the curve represents unsaturated solutions of phenol in water and the
area to the right represents unsaturated solutions of water in phenol, while the
area above the curve represents solutions of phenol and water that are fully
miscible i.e. miscible in all proportions.
Procedures
Phenol (10g) were weighed (accurately to 0.1g) into a large boiling tube and water (4ml)
was added from a burette. The tube was fitted with a cork.
A thermometer and a stirrer were inserted into the tube and the mixture was heated in a
beaker of warm water until the two layers merged.
The outside of the tube was dried and the contents of the tube were allowed to cool while
stirring vigorously.
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The temperature at which the liquid just became cloudy was noted, denoting the
appearance of the second phase.
Four more additions of 4ml, then one of 6ml and two of 12ml of water were made, and re-
determining the miscibility point after each addition.
The mixture was finally poured into a large vessel (250ml beaker) and water (40ml) was
added. The mixture was heated until it became clear.
Part of this solution was replaced into the boiling tube and the miscibility point was
determined.
Treatment of results
Volume of %composition of %composition Miscibility
water(ml) Phenol by mass by mass of Temperature(°c)
water
4.00 71.4 28.6 57
8.00 55.6 44.4 59
12.00 45.5 54.5 64
16.00 38.5 61.5 65
20.00 33.3 66.7 65.5
26.00 27.8 72.2 65
38.00 20.8 79.2 62
50.00 16.7 83.3 61
90.00 10.0 90.0 53
mass of phenol
% composition by mass of phenol ¿ x 100
mass of water + massof phenol
10 10
X 100 = 71.4% x 100 = 33.3%
(10+ 4) (10+20)
10 10
X 100 = 55.6% x 100 = 27.8%
(10+ 8) (10+26)
10 10
X 100 = 45.5% x 100 = 20.8%
(10+12) (10+38)
10 10
X 100 = 38.5% x 100 = 16.7%
(10+16) (10+50)
10
X 100 = 10.0%
(10+ 90)
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The miscibility temperature against
composition by weight of phenol
70
60
miscibility
temperature(⁰
C)
50
40
5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75
composition by weight(%)
Discussion
From the plotted graph, the critical temperature or upper consulate temperature is 65.5°C.
In the case of phenol and water, the mutual solubility increases with an increase in
temperature. At this temperature, all the combination of phenol and water are completely
miscible and yield one-phrase liquid systems. The critical solution temperature obtained was
slightly different from the theoretical value of 66.8°C. This could possibly due to several
errors that occurred during the experiment which include the tubes are not tightly sealed
and heat will lose to the surrounding which will in turn affect the temperature measured. As
we known that phenol is a volatile component so it will easily evaporates into the
surrounding and this will in turn reduce the concentration of the phenol. Besides, parallax
error might occur while we are taking the reading of the thermometer or measuring the
volume of relative phenol and water. Other than that, we must be aware and alert when
taking the temperature of the solution become clear and cloudiness. This is because the
changes in temperature might be too fast and we might fail to obtain accurate results.
Thus, there are some precautions that need to be taken such as sealed the tube
tightly using aluminum foil and foil to prevent the evaporation of phenol. Parallax error
should be avoided as we must place our eyes perpendicularly to the lower meniscus of the
liquid. The reading of the thermometer when the solution turns cloudy and clear should be
taken immediately to increase the accuracy of the results.
CONCLUSION
The critical solution temperature of the phenol-water system is 65.5 °C. The solubility
of two partially miscible liquids of phenol-water system is depends on two factors which are
the temperature and the concentration of phenol in the water by volume.
So phenol is not readily soluble in water
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REFERENCE
1. Retrieved from: https://jeplerts.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/partially-miscible-liquids
determination-of-mutual- solubility-of-phenol-water/
2. Retrieved from: Patrick J. Sinko, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Martin’s Physical
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 5th Edition
3. More HN, Hajare AA. Practical Physical Pharmacy, Career publications; 2010: 86-87.
