Mother Liquor Definition in Chemistry

Spoon and molasses
Molasses is the mother liquor from the cane sugar refining process.

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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on January 11, 2020

Mother liquor is a deprecated term from older chemistry texts that refers to the solution that remains after crystallization occurs and the crystals are removed. Initially, crystallization occurs in a supersaturated solution that is usually prepared by heating a solution and continuing to add solute until no more will dissolve. After crystals have grown, the liquid is filtered out at retained (the mother liquor). This liquid contains some original solute, plus other impurities that were not incorporated into the crystal. Often, more crystals can be grown from the mother liquor.

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Example

Molasses is made from the mother liquor produced by the cane sugar refining process.

Source

  • Lehman, John W. (2008). Operational Organic Chemistry (4th ed.). Pearson. ISBN: 978-0136000921.
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Your Citation
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Mother Liquor Definition in Chemistry." ThoughtCo, Aug. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/definition-of-mother-liquor-605378. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 29). Mother Liquor Definition in Chemistry. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-mother-liquor-605378 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Mother Liquor Definition in Chemistry." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-mother-liquor-605378 (accessed April 25, 2024).