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Chemistry vocabulary · Laboratory Equipment and Techniques

Recrystallization

Meaning in chemistry, with examples

nounCommon term

In chemistry, recrystallization means: A purification method in which a solid is dissolved in a small amount of hot solvent and left to cool slowly, so that pure crystals form and impurities stay in solution.

In Turkish: yeniden kristallendirme, rekristalizasyon

How it is used

The standard way to purify solids in organic labs. You recrystallize a product 'from ethanol', use the minimum amount of hot solvent and check purity by melting point. The British spelling is 'recrystallisation'.

Example sentences

  1. Recrystallization from hot water gave white needles with a sharp melting point.

  2. Use as little hot solvent as possible during recrystallization.

Common collocations

  • recrystallize from
  • purify by recrystallization
  • recrystallization solvent
  • melting point
  • solubilityThe maximum amount of a substance that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a certain temperature, often given in grams per 100 g of water.
  • filtrationA method of separating a solid from a liquid by passing the mixture through filter paper or another porous material that lets only the liquid through.
  • productA substance formed in a chemical reaction. In an equation, these new substances are written to the right of the arrow.
  • percent yieldThe amount of product actually obtained, divided by the maximum possible (theoretical) amount and multiplied by 100. It shows how efficient a reaction was.

More terms: Laboratory Equipment and Techniques

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