Do impurities raise or lower the property of an organic compound such as lower or raise an equivalent weight?
I guess it depends upon the property. With respect to melting point, you know an impurity causes the m.p. to be lower AND to be less sharp. With regard to equivalent weight, I never thought about it. No, it can't change the equivalent weight BUT it can change the APPARENT equivalent weight. So if we had benzoic acid, with an equivalent weight of 122.1 and it was contaminated with something unreactive (such as sand) then we might weigh our sample and it might consist of 122.1 g composed of 61.05 g sand and 61.05 g benzoic acid. When we determined the equivalent weight by titrating with a standard base, we would use Lbase x Normality base = equivalents base. That would equal the number of equivalents of our fake benzoic acid. Equivalents = g/equivalent weight. g is the same 122.1 as always, but since we had only half the benzoic acid in the sample then the base will be half what it should be, the equivalent weight will be double what it should be. But suppose the benzoic acid sample was contaminated with another acid of different equivalent weight. It might go down or up. I hope this is what you were looking for. In short, the apparent equivalent weight can change.
Impurities in an organic compound can potentially affect its properties, including the equivalent weight. However, the specific effect can vary depending on the nature of the impurity and the compound itself.
In general, impurities with a lower equivalent weight than the compound of interest tend to lower the overall equivalent weight. This is because the impurity contributes less to the total weight and therefore reduces the overall equivalent weight of the mixture.
On the other hand, impurities with a higher equivalent weight than the compound of interest tend to raise the overall equivalent weight. This is because the impurity contributes more to the total weight and therefore increases the overall equivalent weight of the mixture.
It is important to note that impurities can also impact other properties of an organic compound, such as melting point, boiling point, purity, and chemical reactivity. Therefore, it is crucial to minimize impurities when working with organic compounds to ensure accurate results.
Impurities can affect the properties of an organic compound, but it depends on the specific impurity and the property in question. In terms of equivalent weight, it is primarily determined by the molecular weight of the compound and does not generally change due to impurities.
However, impurities can impact other properties, such as melting point, boiling point, solubility, and reactivity. In some cases, impurities can raise or lower these properties. For example, if an impurity is a higher melting point solid in a mixture, it can raise the overall melting point of the compound. Similarly, impurities that lower the boiling point or reduce solubility can affect these properties as well.
To determine the effect of impurities on a specific property, it is necessary to conduct experiments or calculations. Here's a general process to investigate impurities' influence on a property:
1. Understand the property of interest: Identify the specific property you want to examine (e.g., melting point, boiling point, etc.) and its significance in relation to the compound.
2. Prepare a pure sample: Start with a pure sample of the organic compound to establish a baseline for comparison.
3. Introduce impurities: Carefully add a known amount of impurities to the pure sample. It is important to be precise with the amount and type of impurity.
4. Observe the effect: Repeat measurements or experiments on the impure sample and compare the results with the pure sample. If there is a noticeable difference, note whether the property is raised or lowered by the impurity.
5. Analyze data: Quantify and analyze the collected data to understand the magnitude of the effect caused by the impurity.
By following these steps, you can evaluate the impact of impurities on various properties of organic compounds and determine whether they raise or lower those properties.