In analytical chemistry, percentage purity is a term that explains the pureness of a substance. It is the ratio of the pure substance's mass to the total mass of the sample then expressed as a percentage. Percentage purity calculates the impurities that exist in the sample. It's an essential concept in the laboratory as it gives information about the quality of the product that you are dealing with.
Formula for calculating percentage purity
The formula for calculating percentage purity is pretty straightforward. It is:
Percentage purity = (pure substance's mass / total sample mass) x 100%
The above formula is the basic formula when calculating percentage purity.
Example calculation
Suppose you have 5 grams of a chemical substance, and you want to know the percentage purity. The mass of the pure substance is 4 grams. What is the percentage purity?
Solution:
Percentage purity = (4 / 5) x 100% = 80%
As easy as that!
Steps for calculating percentage purity
The following are the steps involved in calculating percentage purity:
- Weigh the chemical substance
- Determine the purity of the substance. It can be through any method used in the lab that can identify the substance's impurities.
- Weigh the pure substance.
- Apply the Percentage purity formula
Importance of calculating percentage purity
The calculation of percentage purity is essential in many aspects of analytical chemistry. The importance of calculating percentage purity includes;
- To determine the quality of the sample.
- To determine the efficiency of a process.
- For drug analysis in pharmaceuticals.
- To determine accurate reagent volumes needed for any given reaction.
Thus, percentage purity is an important concept that should be understood, especially in analytical chemistry.
Conclusion
In conclusion, calculating percentage purity is crucial in analytical chemistry. It is a measure of the amount of pure substance present in a sample or the extent to which an impure sample is mixed with a process's byproducts.
