Why do you wash lead (II) sulfate with distilled water in the preparation of lead sulfate?

Explanation:

Mineral

The naturally occurring mineral anglesite, PbSO4, occurs as an oxidation product of primary lead sulfide ore, galena.

Basic and hydrogen lead sulfates

A number of lead basic sulfates are known: PbSO4·PbO; PbSO4·2PbO; PbSO4·3PbO; PbSO4·4PbO. They are used in manufacturing of active paste for lead acid batteries. A related mineral is leadhillite, 2PbCO3·PbSO4·Pb(OH)2.

At high concentration of sulfuric acid (>80%), lead hydrogensulfate, Pb(HSO4)2, forms.[4]

Chemical properties

Lead(II) sulfate can be dissolved in concentrated HNO3, HCl, H2SO4 producing acidic salts or complex compounds, and in concentrated alkali giving soluble tetrahydroxidoplumbate(II) [Pb(OH)4]2− complexes.

PbSO4(s) + H2SO4(l) ⇌ Pb(HSO4)2(aq)

PbSO4(s) + 4NaOH(aq) → Na2[Pb(OH)4](aq) + Na2SO4(aq)

Lead(II) sulfate decomposes when heated above 1000 °C:

PbSO4(s) → PbO(s) + SO3(g)