🧪 Capillary Tube Method (Melting Point Apparatus Method) — Common in Labs
Materials:
Dry powdered sample
Capillary tube (sealed at one end)
Melting point apparatus or oil bath
Thermometer or digital display
Steps:
Prepare the sample: Crush the solid if necessary into a fine powder for uniform heating.
Fill the capillary tube: Tap some of the powder into the open end of the capillary tube until it's about 2–3 mm high.
Insert the tube into the apparatus:
Place the capillary tube in the melting point apparatus.
If using an oil bath, secure the tube next to a thermometer for temperature reading.
Heat gradually: Slowly increase the temperature (around 1–2 °C per minute as you approach the expected melting point).
Observe carefully:
Start of melting: Note the temperature when the solid just begins to liquefy.
End of melting: Note the temperature when the substance is completely melted.
The melting point is typically reported as a range (e.g., 120–122 °C).
🔬 Digital Melting Point Devices (Modern Labs)
These devices automatically detect the melting point using built-in cameras and sensors.
More accurate and user-friendly but more expensive.
📝 Important Notes
A pure compound melts over a narrow range (1–2 °C).
An impure compound will melt over a broader and lower range.
Always repeat the test to confirm accuracy.See more..
A scientific test you do on water similar to a chemical test
You could test its melting point, since pure glucose has a known melting point of 146oC.
One simple test to determine if a solid is pure is to measure its melting point. A pure substance will have a sharp melting point, while impurities will cause the melting point to be lower and more spread out. Comparing the measured melting point to the known melting point of the pure substance can help determine its purity.
The property commonly used to test the purity of a substance is its melting point. Pure substances have a specific melting point, while impurities typically lower and broaden this range. By comparing the observed melting point with the known melting point of the pure substance, one can assess its purity. Other techniques, such as chromatography or spectroscopy, may also be employed for more complex analyses.
It is the boiling point of the substance.
A scientific test you do on water similar to a chemical test
You could test its melting point, since pure glucose has a known melting point of 146oC.
A glass hasn't a true melting point. The softening point of Pyrex glass is between 800 °C and 850 °C.
One simple test to determine if a solid is pure is to measure its melting point. A pure substance will have a sharp melting point, while impurities will cause the melting point to be lower and more spread out. Comparing the measured melting point to the known melting point of the pure substance can help determine its purity.
Melting Point
The property commonly used to test the purity of a substance is its melting point. Pure substances have a specific melting point, while impurities typically lower and broaden this range. By comparing the observed melting point with the known melting point of the pure substance, one can assess its purity. Other techniques, such as chromatography or spectroscopy, may also be employed for more complex analyses.
This is the melting point.
The melting point of an impure compound is expected to decrease with recrystallization. This is because impurities disrupt the crystal lattice structure, causing a broader melting point range. Recrystallization removes impurities, resulting in a purer compound with a higher melting point.
It is the boiling point of the substance.
The term defined as the temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid state is called the melting point.
One common physical property used to test the purity of metal is its melting point. Impurities can lower the melting point of a metal, so comparing the measured melting point to the known pure metal can indicate the presence of impurities. Other techniques include density measurements, spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction.
You could test the resulting liquid by determining its boiling point and melting point. If they are the same as the boiling and melting points for water, then it is probably water and a physical change rather than a chemical change has occurred.