Identify KNO3 and KH2PO4 at home
$begingroup$
I am not expert in chemistry. I need to find a way to identify a $ce{KNO3}$ and $ce{KH2PO4}$ powder at home. I suspect the seller gave me the wrong powder. What is the easiest way to do it at home?
inorganic-chemistry home-experiment
New contributor
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I am not expert in chemistry. I need to find a way to identify a $ce{KNO3}$ and $ce{KH2PO4}$ powder at home. I suspect the seller gave me the wrong powder. What is the easiest way to do it at home?
inorganic-chemistry home-experiment
New contributor
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
KNO3 is much better soluble in water.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I am not expert in chemistry. I need to find a way to identify a $ce{KNO3}$ and $ce{KH2PO4}$ powder at home. I suspect the seller gave me the wrong powder. What is the easiest way to do it at home?
inorganic-chemistry home-experiment
New contributor
$endgroup$
I am not expert in chemistry. I need to find a way to identify a $ce{KNO3}$ and $ce{KH2PO4}$ powder at home. I suspect the seller gave me the wrong powder. What is the easiest way to do it at home?
inorganic-chemistry home-experiment
inorganic-chemistry home-experiment
New contributor
New contributor
edited 11 mins ago
andselisk
17k655115
17k655115
New contributor
asked 6 hours ago
IchsanIchsan
141
141
New contributor
New contributor
2
$begingroup$
KNO3 is much better soluble in water.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
2
$begingroup$
KNO3 is much better soluble in water.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
2
2
$begingroup$
KNO3 is much better soluble in water.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
KNO3 is much better soluble in water.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Well, given that one is a weak acid and the other is the salt of a strong base and a strong acid, the pH of a solution of the powder should tell you which it is. If it's $ce{KNO3}$ it should neutral, and if it's $ce{KH2PO4}$ it should be acidic. Just need some pH paper, which you could probably buy at a pool supply store.
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In the absence of other chemicals you can utilize the fact that nitrates(V) are much stronger oxidizing agents than phosphates(V).
You can soak a piece of newspaper in a saturated solution of the salt, let it dry well in a ventilated place and try to ignite it.
If the salt was $ce{KNO3}$, it will burn vigorously and fast (that's why kids are often using paper soaked in sodium nitrate as primitive fuse for home-made firecrackers and rockets).
$ce{KH2PO4}$ doesn't promote combustion of paper, so it will burn normally or even slower.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "431"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Ichsan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fchemistry.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f110133%2fidentify-kno3-and-kh2po4-at-home%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Well, given that one is a weak acid and the other is the salt of a strong base and a strong acid, the pH of a solution of the powder should tell you which it is. If it's $ce{KNO3}$ it should neutral, and if it's $ce{KH2PO4}$ it should be acidic. Just need some pH paper, which you could probably buy at a pool supply store.
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Well, given that one is a weak acid and the other is the salt of a strong base and a strong acid, the pH of a solution of the powder should tell you which it is. If it's $ce{KNO3}$ it should neutral, and if it's $ce{KH2PO4}$ it should be acidic. Just need some pH paper, which you could probably buy at a pool supply store.
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Well, given that one is a weak acid and the other is the salt of a strong base and a strong acid, the pH of a solution of the powder should tell you which it is. If it's $ce{KNO3}$ it should neutral, and if it's $ce{KH2PO4}$ it should be acidic. Just need some pH paper, which you could probably buy at a pool supply store.
$endgroup$
Well, given that one is a weak acid and the other is the salt of a strong base and a strong acid, the pH of a solution of the powder should tell you which it is. If it's $ce{KNO3}$ it should neutral, and if it's $ce{KH2PO4}$ it should be acidic. Just need some pH paper, which you could probably buy at a pool supply store.
answered 5 hours ago
ringoringo
19.9k557107
19.9k557107
1
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
1
1
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
This could work, but KH2PO4 solution would have pH somewhere around 4.7 - water used at home might be as acidic as this, I guess.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In the absence of other chemicals you can utilize the fact that nitrates(V) are much stronger oxidizing agents than phosphates(V).
You can soak a piece of newspaper in a saturated solution of the salt, let it dry well in a ventilated place and try to ignite it.
If the salt was $ce{KNO3}$, it will burn vigorously and fast (that's why kids are often using paper soaked in sodium nitrate as primitive fuse for home-made firecrackers and rockets).
$ce{KH2PO4}$ doesn't promote combustion of paper, so it will burn normally or even slower.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In the absence of other chemicals you can utilize the fact that nitrates(V) are much stronger oxidizing agents than phosphates(V).
You can soak a piece of newspaper in a saturated solution of the salt, let it dry well in a ventilated place and try to ignite it.
If the salt was $ce{KNO3}$, it will burn vigorously and fast (that's why kids are often using paper soaked in sodium nitrate as primitive fuse for home-made firecrackers and rockets).
$ce{KH2PO4}$ doesn't promote combustion of paper, so it will burn normally or even slower.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In the absence of other chemicals you can utilize the fact that nitrates(V) are much stronger oxidizing agents than phosphates(V).
You can soak a piece of newspaper in a saturated solution of the salt, let it dry well in a ventilated place and try to ignite it.
If the salt was $ce{KNO3}$, it will burn vigorously and fast (that's why kids are often using paper soaked in sodium nitrate as primitive fuse for home-made firecrackers and rockets).
$ce{KH2PO4}$ doesn't promote combustion of paper, so it will burn normally or even slower.
$endgroup$
In the absence of other chemicals you can utilize the fact that nitrates(V) are much stronger oxidizing agents than phosphates(V).
You can soak a piece of newspaper in a saturated solution of the salt, let it dry well in a ventilated place and try to ignite it.
If the salt was $ce{KNO3}$, it will burn vigorously and fast (that's why kids are often using paper soaked in sodium nitrate as primitive fuse for home-made firecrackers and rockets).
$ce{KH2PO4}$ doesn't promote combustion of paper, so it will burn normally or even slower.
edited 6 mins ago
answered 13 mins ago
andseliskandselisk
17k655115
17k655115
add a comment |
add a comment |
Ichsan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Ichsan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Ichsan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Ichsan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Chemistry Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fchemistry.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f110133%2fidentify-kno3-and-kh2po4-at-home%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
2
$begingroup$
KNO3 is much better soluble in water.
$endgroup$
– Mithoron
4 hours ago