ANSWER TO QUESTIONS

1. Other oxidizing agents are also employed for the determination of iron in an unknown sample. What is one obvious advantage of KMnO4 over K2Cr2O7 and Ce(SO4)2 as oxidants in the titrimetric determination of iron? The advantage of KMnO4 was that it acts as a self indicator. The analyte solution does not need to be added with an indicator because the purple color of the solution of KMnO4 helped in analyzing the endpoint of the titration. 2. What other metals present in razor blade might interfere in the determination of iron? Explain. There are other trace elements that can be found in a razor blade such as aluminum and copper. These metals can interfere in the determination of iron because it can also act as the reducing agent thus having an inaccurate concentration after solving. Carbon is a non-metal that can also interfere with the determination of iron. 3. What chemical species is the reducing agent in the standardization step? The oxidizing agent? 2MnO4- + 6H+ + 5H2C 2O4 2Mn2+ + 8H2O + 10CO2

The equation above is an ionic equation that shows the reaction by standardizing the KMnO4 solution. The oxidizing agent and reducing agent in the standardization step cease to exist. Analyzing the equation above, the MnO4- was reduced to Mn2+ making it possible to be the oxidizing agent but in every redox reactions there must be the presence of the reducing as well as the oxidizing agent. The Na2C 2O4 was de-ionized with sulfuric acid solution in order to inhibit the further reduction of the potassium permanganate solution. 4. While HNO3 is a stronger acid than HCl, it cannot be used to dissolve the razor blade? Why? Nitric acid (HNO3) cannot be used to dissolve the razor blade like hydrochloric acid because of being a very strong oxidizing agent. If HNO3 would be used, the dissolution of the razor blade would result to the reduction of iron. If the amount of iron present in the razor blade would be reduced in the dissolution process then, the calculated percent composition of Iron would be affected and would also be inaccurate. 5. In what way can the presence of chloride adversely affect the results of this analysis? Explain. If Cl concentration is higher than usual, a higher probability of rapid oxidation of Cl- will happen due to the formation of high unstable ferrate ions (FeO4-2) in the presence of iron (II). If such case would happen, a higher volume of MnSO4 solution will be added to the iron (II) solution to reduce the risk of the formation of highly unstable ferrate ions (FeO4-2).