Potassium Nitrate Lab

The objective for this lab is to construct a solubility curve for potassium nitrate in water by measuring saturation temperatures for six different solution concentrations. We form a group of four and were assigned to work on series one while the other group work on series two. Throughout the lab, we set a hot bath water temperature at 85 degree celsius which affected how potassium nitrate dissolves in water and changed the saturation temperature. In addition, our group discovered that the mass of test tubes plus potassium nitrate relates to the saturation of temperature. The lighter mass takes longer time to dissolve which lowers the saturation temperature and vice versa. For example, one of the mass of test tube plus potassium nitrate is 9.04 grams and the saturation temperature is 34.5 degree celsius. On the other hand, the mass of another test tube plus potassium nitrate is 9.71 grams and the saturation temperature is 67 degree celsius. In conclusion, a solubility curve shows a relationship between a substance that dissolve in water and the temperature which can be demonstrated throughout the lab with potassium nitrate dissolving into water and its saturation temperature. …show more content…
The corresponding saturation temperature will be too high because the increased concentration will cause the solute to fall out of solution sooner than expected. In addition, the lag time would cause a false recording of temperature that is higher than the actual temperature which I believe to have it occur in test tube c and series one and two. Therefore, it would result in a saturation temperature that is too high and recording a lower level of