Experiment: Determination of λ max of KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7 Solutions and Verification of
Beer-Lambert’s Law
Aim:
To determine the wavelength of maximum absorption (λmax\lambda_{max}λmax) for
potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) solutions, and to
verify Beer-Lambert’s law for both solutions.
Principle:
1. Absorption Spectroscopy: When a substance is exposed to light of different
wavelengths, it absorbs certain wavelengths and transmits others. The wavelength at
which the maximum absorption occurs is called λmax\lambda_{max}λmax.
2. Beer-Lambert’s Law: This law states that the absorbance (A) of a solution is directly
proportional to the concentration (C) of the solute and the path length (l) of the light
through the solution, expressed as:
A=ε⋅l⋅C
where:
o A= Absorbance
o ε = Molar absorptivity (or molar absorption coefficient)
o l= Path length of the light (in cm)
o C = Concentration of the solute (in mol/L)
Materials:
Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) solution
Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) solution
UV-Visible spectrophotometer
Cuvettes
Distilled water
Standard solutions of KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7 (different concentrations)
Pipettes and volumetric flasks
Quartz cuvettes (optical path length of 1 cm)
Procedure:
1. Preparation of Solutions:
o Prepare a series of standard solutions of KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7 by diluting the
stock solutions with distilled water to get different concentrations (e.g., 0.1,
0.05, 0.025, and 0.01 mol/L).
2. Determination of λmax.:
o Turn on the UV-Visible spectrophotometer and allow it to warm up.
o Rinse the cuvettes with distilled water, then with a small amount of the
KMnO4 solution.
o Fill the cuvette with the KMnO4 solution and place it in the
spectrophotometer.
o Record the absorbance of the KMnO4 solution over a range of wavelengths
(typically from 400 nm to 700 nm).
o Identify the wavelength at which maximum absorbance occurs (λmax) for
KMnO4.
o Repeat the above procedure for K2Cr2O7 solution and determine λmax for
K2Cr2O7.
3. Verification of Beer-Lambert’s Law:
o Using the spectrophotometer, measure the absorbance of the KMnO4 and
K2Cr2O7 solutions at their respective λmax\lambda_{max}λmax.
o For each solution, record the absorbance for all concentrations prepared in
step 1.
o Plot absorbance (A) against concentration (C) for both KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7.
o The graph should show a straight line, indicating that Beer-Lambert’s law is
obeyed. If the graph is linear, it confirms that absorbance is directly
proportional to concentration, as predicted by Beer-Lambert's law.
Observations:
The absorption spectra of KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7 solutions will show characteristic
peaks at specific wavelengths.
The absorbance of both solutions increases with an increase in concentration, and
the linearity of the plot of absorbance vs. concentration will verify Beer-Lambert’s
law.
Results:
λmax for KMnO4: [insert value based on experimental data, typically around 525
nm]
λmax for K2Cr2O7: [insert value based on experimental data, typically around 350
nm]
Beer-Lambert's Law Verification:
o The plot of absorbance versus concentration for both KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7
should be linear.
o This confirms that the absorbance is proportional to the concentration of the
solution.
Conclusion:
The λmax values for KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7 were determined to be [insert values] nm,
respectively.
Beer-Lambert's law was verified for both solutions, as evidenced by the linear
relationship between absorbance and concentration.
This experiment demonstrates the use of UV-Visible spectrophotometry in
quantitative analysis and confirms that absorbance is directly proportional to
concentration, provided the system follows Beer-Lambert’s law.
Precautions:
1. Always clean the cuvettes thoroughly before use to avoid contamination.
2. Ensure that the spectrophotometer is calibrated before use.
3. Handle solutions carefully, as both KMnO4 and K2Cr2O7 are strong oxidizers.
4. Use only quartz cuvettes for UV-Visible measurements, as glass cuvettes absorb UV
light.
