Practical investigations
Read our general notes on Risk Assessment
When I want to dilute an acid, would I add the acid to the water or the opposite?
Jenkin replies:
This matters when diluting concentrated acids. The way you do the mixing matters much less if you are diluting an already dilute acid.
Always add concentrated acid to water. Dilution of an acid is exothermic and adding acid to water ensures that the water absorbs the energy released. It is essential to add the acid slowly, with stirring, and to wear goggles. This is especially important with sulphuric acid which releases a particularly large quantity of energy.
Always carry out a risk assessment before starting any practical work, and check with your teacher.
Risk assessment
Before attempting any practical work based on the advice and suggestions on this website, you must do the following. Identify any hazards, assess the risks from these hazards, and then decide appropriate control measures to reduce the risks. You must have these approved by those in authority in your school or college laboratory. Do not rely on what is said on this website.
For further guidance see our tutorial on Risk Assessment.
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updated: 18 January 2006
