Samantha B.

Ang Santo 1H
Experiment #1: Density of Beverages September 11, 2018

Abstract
Firstly, the mass and volume of distilled water was measured using different
volumetric glassware. After computing for the density and creating a scatter plot, the
measurements obtained using a pipette were concluded to be more precise and accurate.
Secondly, the mass and volume of 4 unknown beverages with different sugar concentrations
were measured to determine the % mass sucrose of 2 unknown beverages. After computing
for their respective densities and plotting the values to create a line graph, it was concluded
that unknown solution A and B had a % mass sucrose of -12.5% and 7.5%, respectively.

Introduction
Density is computed by dividing an object’s mass by its volume (ϱ = m / v). Mass and
volume are both extensive properties, while density is an intensive property independent of
the amount of substance being measured. However, one way of increasing the density of a
solution is through increasing its concentration by dissolving more solute in the solvent (1).
Different volumetric glassware (e.g. graduated cylinder, pipette, beaker) were utilized
when measuring a solution’s density. Furthermore, multiple trials are done in order to test
their accuracy and precision. Accuracy is the agreement of the obtained measurements with
the accepted value of the quantity. On the other hand, precision shows how well the obtained
measurements agree with one another. While the former is determined using the percent error
relative to the standard value, the latter is measured using standard deviation (1).

Methods
For the first procedure of part 1, 10 mL of water was poured to a graduated cylinder
and measured using the top loading balance. This step was done thrice to procure 3 sets of
data. In the second procedure, 10 mL of water was pipetted to a beaker then measured on the
balance. This step was also done thrice. The second part of the experiment utilized a pipette
and an aspirator to measure 10 mL of 4 standard solutions with different sugar concentrations
and 2 other solutions with unknown concentrations. These were measured and weighed
exclusively on the balance twice (2).

Results
Table 1. Density of Water
Graduated Cylinder Pipette
Trial 1 2 3 1 2 3
0.78 0.95 0.98 0.98 0.98
Density of Water 0.94 g/mL
g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/ml
Mean 0.89 g/mL 0.98 g/mL
Standard Deviation 0.10 0.00
Percent Error 11% 2%
Figure 1. Scatter Plot of the Three Volumetric Glassware

Table 2. Density of Sucrose Solutions

10% 20% 30% Unknown Unknown

5% Solution
Solution Solution Solution Solution A Solution B
Trial 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
1.02 1.03 1.04 1.03 1.06 1.06 1.08 1.08 1.00 0.99 1.04 1.03
Density
g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL g/mL

Figure 2. Plot of Density vs. % Mass Sucrose

Unknown Solution A % (m/m) sucrose: -12.5%

Unknown Solution B % (m/m) sucrose: 7.5%

Discussion
After rounding off to the correct number of significant figures, it can be seen in Table
1 that the 3 measurements acquired using the pipette are equal, while the 3 measurements
obtained using the graduated cylinder have greater differences among the values. This
disparity in precision is further illustrated in Figure 1. Hence, it can be concluded that the
pipette produced more precise measurements than the graduated cylinder (AtQ 1). Moreover,
the percent error of the average value obtained for the density of water using the pipette is
2%, while the one using the graduated cylinder is 11%. Thus, it can be concluded that the
pipette produced a more accurate measurement than the graduated cylinder because it was
closer to the actual density of water, which is 1 g/mL. Nonetheless, these measurements
cannot be recognized as precise and accurate due to possible sources of error such as
systematic error (i.e. not reading the lower meniscus), instrument error (i.e. calibration), and
measurement location error (i.e. density of water relative to the temperature of the laboratory)
(AtQ 2) (3).
Table 2 presents the difference in densities of solutions with varied sucrose
concentrations. 4 solutions with known % (m/m) sucrose were measured, as well as 2
unknown commercial beverages in order to determine their % (m/m) sucrose. As seen in
Table 2, the density of the solutions increased as their % (m/m) sucrose increased. Thus, it
can be deduced that the 2 variables have a proportional relationship. These measurements
were plotted with the the x-axis corresponding to their % mass sucrose and the y-axis to their
respective densities as seen in Figure 2. The equation of the line formed was used to
determine the % mass sucrose of the 2 unknown solutions. Unknown solution A had an
average density of 0.995 g/mL, while unknown solution B had an average density of
1.035g/mL. Inputting this in the given line equation resulted to a % mass sucrose of -12.5%
and 7.5% for unknown solutions A and B, respectively.
Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, while regular soda contains
sugar as its sweetener. Since these artificial sweeteners are a lot sweeter than regular sugar,
less grams are incorporated in diet sodas. Therefore, this difference in sweetening agents
results in a disparity in their respective densities. Regular sodas are denser than diet sodas due
to more grams of sugar being added to its composition (AtQ 3). A can of regular sodas
actually sinks when submerged in water, while a can of diet soda floats in water. This means
that regular soda has a density of more than 1 g/mL and diet soda has a density of less than 1
g/mL (4). Given these facts and the measurements in Table 2, it can be concluded that
unknown solution A, which has an average density less than 1 g/mL and a -12.5% mass
sucrose is a variety of diet soda. On the other hand, unknown solution B with an average
density higher than 1 g/mL a 7.5% mass sucrose is a kind of regular soda (AtQ 4).

Answer to Questions
5. It is important to know the temperature with which your substance was measured and
weighed because this affects its density. Density is the ratio of a substance's mass to its
volume. Hence, as heat increases, there is greater kinetic energy and vibration present in the
substance’s molecules which causes it to take up more space. This will increase its volume,
as well as its respective density. This explains why the density of water is 958.4 g/mL at 100
degrees Celsius and 971.8 g/mL at 80 degrees Celsius (5).

Sample Calculations
Density
ϱ=m/v
ϱ = (128.91 g – 121.10 g) / 10 mL
ϱ = 0.78 g/mL
Mean
μ = (Density 1 + Density 2 + Density 3) / 3
μ = (0.78 g/mL + 0.94 g/mL + 0.95) / 3
μ = 0.89 g/mL
Standard Deviation

σ = (((0.78-0.89)2 + (0.94-0.89)2 + (0.95-0.89)2) / 3)-1

σ = 0.11

Percent Error
% error = (|Approximate Value – Exact Value| / Exact Value) x 100%
% error = (|0.89 g/mL – 1 g/mL| / 1 g/mL) x 100%
% error = 11%

% Mass Sucrose
% (m/m) sucrose = (y – 1.02) / 0.002
% (m/m) sucrose = (1.035 – 1.02) / 0.002
% (m/m) sucrose = 7.5%

Conclusions
The first objective of the experiment was to compute for the density of distilled water
by measuring its mass and volume using different volumetric glassware, namely a graduated
cylinder, pipette and beaker. This was fulfilled during the experiment and the acquired
measurements are presented in Table 1. Furthermore, a scatter plot was constructed as
illustrated by Figure 1. From these data, the more precise and accurate values were concluded
to be produced by the pipette. The second objective of the experiment is to determine the %
sucrose content of the 2 unknown beverages by measuring the densities of the 4 standard
solution with known % mass sucrose. Table 2 presents the respective densities of the 4
standard solutions and Figure 2 illustrates a line graph representing the relationship of their
densities with their corresponding % mass sucrose. This objective was also attained because
the equation of the line formed was used to compute for the % mass sucrose of the 2
unknown commercial beverages as stated above.

References
Books
1. Kotz JC, Treichel PM, Townsend JR, Treichel DA. Chemistry & chemical reactivity.
9th ed. Massachusetts: Cenage Learning; 2015.
2. San Esteban AC, Yanza ER. Modern experiments in general chemistry I. 10th ed.
Quezon City: Chemistry Department Ateneo de Manila University; 2018.
Websites
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4. Smallwood K. There's a simple explanation for why Diet Coke floats but regular
Coca-Cola doesn't [Internet]. New York: Business Insider; [2016 Sept 15] [cited 2018
Sept 16]. Available from: https://www.businessinsider.com/why-diet-coke-floats-but-
regular-coca-cola-doesnt-2016-9
5. Shapley P. Temperature effects on density [Internet]. Illinois: University of Illinois;
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http://butane.chem.uiuc.edu/pshapley/GenChem1/L21/2.html