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Equilibrium With Fried Eggs of PbI2-1

This document summarizes an experiment demonstrating the equilibrium between lead iodide (PbI2) and potassium lead iodide (KPbI3). When drops of lead nitrate solution are added to potassium iodide crystals of varying sizes, different products are observed. Small crystals yield only small yellow PbI2 plates, while larger crystals produce a yellow PbI2 core surrounded by white KPbI3 needles, resembling a fried egg. The reaction equilibrium can be shifted left or right by adding water to decrease potassium iodide concentration or adding more potassium iodide to increase its concentration, observed through changes in the amount of yellow PbI2.

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1K views2 pages

Equilibrium With Fried Eggs of PbI2-1

This document summarizes an experiment demonstrating the equilibrium between lead iodide (PbI2) and potassium lead iodide (KPbI3). When drops of lead nitrate solution are added to potassium iodide crystals of varying sizes, different products are observed. Small crystals yield only small yellow PbI2 plates, while larger crystals produce a yellow PbI2 core surrounded by white KPbI3 needles, resembling a fried egg. The reaction equilibrium can be shifted left or right by adding water to decrease potassium iodide concentration or adding more potassium iodide to increase its concentration, observed through changes in the amount of yellow PbI2.

Uploaded by

Joel Tr
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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In the Classroom

tested demonstrations

edited by

Ed Vitz
Kutztown University Kutztown, PA 19530

Equilibrium with Fried Eggs of PbI2 and KPbI3


Submitted by:

Adolf Cortel Institut de Batxillerat El Cairat, Gorgonana 1, 08292 Esparreguera, Barcelona, Spain Cole McWherter and George Gilbert Department of Chemistry, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023 of PbI2 appears surrounded by white needles of KPbI3 , having an appearance very similar to that of a small fried egg (Fig. 1bd). The reaction of the biggest KI crystals with the drop of Pb(NO3 )2 solution gives only white KPbI3 or a clear { solution that contains higher complexes PbIn(n{2) (2, 3). The colors of these compounds are much better observed if the Petri dish is set over a black cardboard.
2KI(aq) + Pb(NO 3)2(aq) PbI 2(s, yellow) + 2KNO 3(aq) (1) KPbI3(s, white) PbI2(s,yellow) + KI(aq)

Checked by:

Numerous experiments can be used to introduce the displacement of equilibrium (1 ). This simple experiment illustrates very effectively the equilibrium between two different solids in a dissolution, and it requires a minimum of equipment and preparation. Crystals of KI of different sizes are arranged in a Petri dish and one drop of 0.1 M Pb(NO3)2 is added over each crystal. When it dissolves, several different situations become evident (Fig. 1). If the KI crystal is small, only small yellow plates of PbI2 are seen (Fig. 1a). With a bigger crystal, a core

(2)

The solubility of KI is high enough to achieve the dissolution of relatively big crystals in only one drop of Pb(NO3)2 solution. Obviously, big crystals give more concentrated solutions of KI(aq) that displace the equilibrium to the right in the above reactions. If the crystal is not big enough a mixture of PbI2 and KPbI3 is observed, and with a small one only the first reaction is possible. In situations where the mixture of the two solids is in equilibrium with the dissolved KI it is possible to displace the equilibrium to the left, with a drop of pure water that decreases the KI (aq) concentration

to the right, with an extra crystal of KI that increases the KI(aq) concentration In both cases the increase or decrease of the yellow color of PbI2 is clearly observed and shows the sense of displacement. The use of a stereomicroscope at 20 magnification greatly improves the observation of the displacements and the shape of the crystals. Literature Cited
1. Shakhashiri, B. Z. Chemical Demonstrations; The University of Wisconsin: Madison, 1983; Vol. 1, pp 271338. 2. Bailar, J. C.; Emelus, H. J.; Nyholm, R.; Trotman-Dickenson, A. F. Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry; Pergamon: Oxford, 1973; Vol. 2, pp 136137. 3. Mellor, J. W. A Comprehensive Treatise on Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry; Longmans: London, 1930; Vol. 7, pp 773775.

d
Figure 1. Equilibrium of yellow plates of PbI2 surrounded by white needles of KPbI3 in a KI solution: a, 40 ; bd, 20 Plates

ad illustrate results from starting with increasingly larger crystals of KI.

Vol. 74 No. 3 March 1997 Journal of Chemical Education

297

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