FORMAL LABORATORY: PERCENTAGE YIELD

Yield is the quantity of product produced in a chemical reaction. The

theoretical yield of a reaction can be calculated using mole ratios from the
balanced chemical reaction, but the actual yield has to be obtained and
measured in a lobaratory. Often, due to many different factors ( see p.190 of
textbook), the actual yield can be less than the theoretical yield. This gives rise to the
concept of percentage yield:
percentage yield =

actual yield
theoretical yield

x 100 %

In this laboratory session you will be reacting hydrochloric acid, HCl, and a known mass of
sodium hydrogen carbonate, NaHCO3 , to produce solid sodium chloride, carbon dioxide gas,
and water.
PURPOSE:
1. To make sodium chloride and determine its mass.
2. To calculate the theoretical yield of sodium chloride from the balanced chemical equation.
3. To calculate the percentage yield of sodium chloride.
4. To list the possible reasons for a yield that is not 100%.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
HCl is corrosive. It emits fumes of HCl gas, therefore protective aprons and safety
glasses must be worn at all times. Students wearing contact lenses should not perform
this experiment.
Avoid all contact with skin. If any acid does get on your skin, wash off immediately with
large amounts of water.
Carefully follow all instructions given in class about evaporating the reaction mixture. Avoid
touching the hot apparatus and report any burns.
PROCEDURE:
1. Obtain the pre-weighed test tube containing a known mass of sodium hydrogen carbonate.
mass of test tube: _______

mass of reactant: _______

2. Place the test tube in the test tube rack and add, drop by drop, the provided hydrochloric
acid (concentration 3.0 mol/L). Wait until all the effervescence has stopped before adding
the next drop of acid. Continue until no further reaction occurs on adding a drop of acid.

observations:

3. Using the provided apparatus, clamp the test tube in place. Ensure that the clamped test
tube is at a 45o angle, with its opening towards the blackboard. Check with your teacher to
ensure proper set up before proceeding.
4. Turn on the Bunsen burner. Heat the product as shown, until it is completely dry. While
heating be sure to not allow the test tube to spill over remove the source of heat when the
rate of bubbling becomes too great.

observations:

5. Check that the evaporation of water has finished by holding a clean, cold, dry beaker at
the mouth of the reaction tube and looking for condensation on it. If condensation does
occur, continue heating for three more minutes and test again.
6. Allow the test tube to cool. Record the mass of the test tube and product:
mass of test tube and product: ______
7. Carefully wash the test tube and put it to dry.
WRITE UP:
For your write up you will be following the included How to Write a Lab Report.
- Your purpose in this laboratory is based on part 1 of the PURPOSE.
- You do not have a hypothesis since you did not design the lab
- Dont forget to note any observations in an organized format. This section of your report
should also include all of your measurements (with units), set up in a neat an organized table.
It should not include your calculations!
- The analysis should include all the relevant calculations (with units).

- Conclusions should address the original purpose of the experiment

- Dont forget to include a concluding statement!

Presenting a Formal Lab Report

Science involves the extensive use of experiments to observe the world around us. Working
scientifically involves being precise and accurate when making and interpreting observations.
Once the observations are obtained, conclusions can be drawn from them. A laboratory
report is a method of clearly presenting ones experimental work and its possible conclusions
to others. A good lab report is precise & well-organized. It should explain: 1. Why the
experiment was conducted
2. How it was done
3. What happened
4. What the results can mean
There are many formats for a lab report. We will be using the following:
1. Purpose
Use complete sentences to explain the purpose of doing the experiment (ex. To determine
which laundry detergent most efficiently removes tomato stains.)
2. Hypothesis
This is an educated guess that predicts the results (ex. Tide with Bleach will be the best at
removing the tomato stains.)
3. Materials
Provide a detailed list of all of the materials used in the experiment. (ex. water, 60 mL of
each detergent, tomato-stained napkins) A diagram can be used to show the experimental
set-up.
4. Methods
Use numbered steps clearly written in full sentences to describe, in past-tense, how the
experiment was done. This should not be a word-for-word repetition of your protocol you
are to describe what you DID, not what you were supposed to do.
5. Observations
Observations should be complete and indicate only what you saw (no inferences!). They
should be organized (using a table, diagram, graph, quantitative or qualitative) and should
include the relevant units of measurement. They SHOULD NOT include calculations.
6. Analysis
Provide the relevant calculations if needed. Discuss your observations in terms of the
purpose and the hypothesis, noting any interesting details. Answer questions assigned!
7. Conclusion
State the results and whether they support your hypothesis. Indicate AT LEAST two
sources of error.
Overall Considerations:
Is your report neat and in proper order? Does your title page have the title, your name, your
lab partners name and class, and the date? Have you checked your spelling and grammar?

FORMAL LAB REPORT RUBRIC

You will be evaluated based on the criteria below.
___ THE LABORATORY REPORT IS WRITTEN IN YOUR OWN WORDS
* note: if you plagiarize (copy word-for-word) in your presentation you will receive
a zero (0) for that section; if you plagiarize more than 1/3 of the content of
your presentation you will receive a zero (0) for the ENTIRE submission
KNOWLEDGE
mark*:
4
3
___addresses the following:
- the Purpose
- the Hypothesis (if relevant)
- Materials
___ well-organized and show a deep level of understanding
___answers make sense and are correct
___key words and ideas are correctly used

APPLICATION
mark*:
4
3
___the Methods section is clearly stated
___ in past-tense
___ describes the exact steps followed
___ the Observations are well organized and include units
___ do not include inferences!
___key words and ideas are correctly used
___complicated vocabulary is explained/defined

THINKING
mark*:
4
3
___ the Analysis includes all of the relevant calculations
___ all the calculations are done well (sd, units)
___ addresses assigned questions

___ Conclusion includes two potential sources of error

___ the conclusion ties back to the purpose
___answers make sense and are correct
___key words and ideas are correctly used
___complicated vocabulary is explained/defined
COMMUNICATION
mark*:
4
3
2
1
R
___ the report is very well organized in a clear, logical sequence thats easy to follow
___ the headings are in the correct order
___ observations do not include calculations
___good spelling and grammar
*4 (excellent), 3(good), 2(satisfactory), 1(needs improvement), R(incomplete, please resubmit)