Question

What should be the temperature of the solvent before adding it to the sample to be recrystallized?

Answer 1

Answer:

Near the boiling point of the solvent

Explanation:

The process of recrystallization is hinged on the fact that the amount of solute that can be dissolved by a solvent increases with temperature. The process involves creation of a solution by dissolving a solute in a solvent at or near its boiling point.  At the boiling point of the solvent, the solute has a greater solubility in the solvent; not much volume of  the hot solvent is required to dissolve the solute.

Before the solution is later cooled, you can now filter out insoluble impurities from the hot solvent. The quantity of the original solute drops appreciably because impurities have been removed. At this lower temperature, the solution becomes saturated and the solute can no longer be held in solution hence it forms pure crystals of solute, which can be recovered.

Recrystallization must be carried out using the proper solvent. The solute must be relatively insoluble in the solvent at room temperature but more soluble in the solvent at elevated temperature.