Copyright © 2017 Dr N A Lewis. All rights reserved.

Check-in, Safety Rules, and LoggerPro

Welcome to CHM 105. Today you will begin the adventure of your first University Chemistry
laboratory class. Please realize that our students have a wide range of backgrounds with respect
to Chemistry lab work. Some students have done quite a bit of lab work in high school, and
some students have never performed a Chemistry experiment before. Hopefully, though, this
course will be stimulating to all students. Before we get to the fun stuff, there are a few things
that we have to do.

We will begin with the check-out of a locker for each student. Your instructor will assign to you
a particular locker and will give you a paper with the combination number of the lock on it.
There will be a list of all the items that should be in that locker. You need to check to see if all
the items are there and are in good condition (no cracks or chips on the glassware). If you need
to make any changes, go to the Stockroom (half-door) to get what is needed. Then sign in the
appropriate spot. The Instructor will also sign the sheet and will collect it for future reference.
You will additionally have to sign a paper stating that you understand the Safety Rules.

There will then be a video on laboratory safety. It is very important that you pay close attention
to this video and you may even want to take some notes on key points. You will have one
question concerned with “Safety” on each of your pre-lab quizzes (given at the beginning of each
lab except this first one). There are additional points on this subject in your Syllabus. On each
of your pre-lab quizzes you will also have one question related to an understanding of significant
figures. There is a complete description of what you should know on this subject in the
Documents section of Blackboard (BB).

This semester you will use LoggerPro software with LabPro data collection hardware. Some of
you may have used LabPro/LoggerPro or a system like it before, but most students have not. It
is a program designed to make laboratory measurements simpler and more accurate by using a
computer to aid in data collection. Today you will determine the melting point of lauric acid
using LoggerPro. The LabPro/LoggerPro system will be used throughout the semester, so it is
important that you understand how to use it today. This will avoid problems later in the
semester.

Introduction to Lab Pro and Logger Pro

For many of the experiments you will perform this semester, you will be using the LoggerPro
system. This has an interface that looks like a blue rectangular box, which is attached to your
computer workstation through a UPS port. If you are using a University computer with UPS
ports on the side and back, use the ones at the back. These usually work better. Various probes
can then be attached to the interface box to measure things like pH, conductivity, pressure, and
temperature.
For experiments using LoggerPro, you will work with a partner who is usually the student next
to you. The Instructor will make these assignments. You and your partner should only work in
the bench area directly above your lockers and with the computer in that area. Each bench in the
lab has four defined work areas with two students and one University computer per pair. You

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may attach the LoggerPro equipment to your own laptop. If you choose to use your own laptop,
the information collected during the experiment will obviously be in your computer already. If
you choose to use a University Computer, you MUST arrive with a Flash Drive that will be used
to transfer your results to your computer for use later. The University computers do not have
email installed so using a Flash Drive is your only option for saving data if you use this device.
The Loggerpro equipment must be checked out from the stockroom by one partner, who will
sign for the equipment and be responsible for returning it at the end of the period. Please pay
attention to the way the Lab Pro equipment is packaged when you get a system from the
stockroom. Return the equipment in the exact same configuration. This is best done by
taking a photo of the equipment in the box when you originally got it so that you know how
it should look when you are ready to return it.
If you are having a problem with your assigned University Computer, Lab Pro interface, or probe
report the problem to your Instructor, but do not move to a different workstation unless directed
to do so.
Also, if you are missing a particular probe or any other Lab Pro equipment, report this to the
stockroom.
After each experiment using the Lab Pro equipment, you should disassemble the probes and
interface and place them back in their containers the same way the pieces were arranged when
you checked out the equipment (check your photo that you took at the beginning), and then
return the equipment to the stockroom.

These are the set of toolbar icons that you will use throughout the lab experiments. Refer back to
this page whenever necessary:

Set data collection parameters

Auto-scale Linear fit

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Copyright © 2017 Dr N A Lewis. All rights reserved.

EXPERIMENT 1: Evaporation of Ethanol

For this experiment we will use a temperature probe connected to the computer through the Lab
Pro interface. It is essentially an electrical thermometer. All laboratory instruments should be
treated with respect. They are rather expensive tools. You will assemble the apparatus, acquire
the data, and finally analyze the data.

One partner should sign out the LabPro blue interface box from the stockroom. The interface is
a blue rectangular module with outlets for cords. Place the interface near the computer you will
be using and attach the USB cable coming from a USB port of the computer to the Lab Pro port
(this port is on the right side, lowest port). Make sure it is connected securely. Next, find the
temperature probe (the one labeled “temperature probe” on the side) and insert it into channel 1
of your port (channel 1 is on the left side of the box, at the top). Retrieve a power adapter from
the LabPro box and plug the end of the power adapter cord into the LabPro interface (left side, at
the bottom). Plug the power adapter in to the AC outlet on the wall (make sure this outlet it
working – it should have a small bright light on it.) The interface box should also have a small
bright light on the top of it when it is working.

Open the LoggerPro software on your computer, and you should see this screen:

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Note: If the previous window did not come up, make sure that the module is plugged in to the
outlet on the bench, make sure it is turned on (when it is on, the green light is lit), and make sure
that the cable to the computer is properly connected.

Click on the “set data collection parameters” button (next to the green “collect” button). The
following window should pop up:

(Make sure that 180 seconds is displayed as the length of time, then click on “Done”.)

NOTE: In order to save time performing Experiment 2, you should at this point find a 250 mL
beaker (or larger) and fill it to the 200 mL mark with tap water. Place this beaker on your
hotplate at a setting of about 300oF to allow it to reach the boiling point of the water.

Acquire
Dip the temperature probe in the alcohol provided on the lab bench. Pull the probe out of the
alcohol and click immediately. Record the data until the temperature for 180 seconds.
Click Stop. From the drop-down menu, click File and then Save data. Save it as a file that has a
recognizable name to your jump or flash drive (University Computer) or to your own computer
as a file that you can find later.

Analyze
Now that you have the data, you need to analyze it. Highlight the flat portion of the graph. This
should be the portion of the curve AFTER the temperature has dropped during the evaporation of
the alcohol, and then has returned to room temperature. Click on the “Linear Fit” button. The

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Copyright © 2017 Dr N A Lewis. All rights reserved.

Y-intercept value should be approximately room temperature. You should be able to explain the
temperature changes that take place in the graph of the evaporation of alcohol.

EXPERIMENT 2: Determination of the Freezing Point of Lauric Acid

The previous steps used in the previous experiment can now be used to determine the freezing
point of Lauric acid. Lauric acid freezes at a temperature that is above room temperature. Obtain
a test tube of Lauric acid from the bench at the front of the room. Place this test tube in the
beaker of water you have been warming on your hotplate.

While the Lauric acid is melting, set up LabPro as before. To get LabPro set up for a new run,
go to “Experiment” on the drop-down menu and then select “Clear Latest Run” (you have
already saved your data, right??). Now the computer is ready for a new experiment. Click on
the “set data collection parameters” button. For this experiment, you need to set the time to 600
SECONDS.

1. When the Lauric acid has completely melted, make sure the time scale of LabPro is still
set to 600 seconds.
2. Find a second 250 mL beaker and fill it approximately to the 200 mL mark with cold tap
water.
3. Take the Lauric acid test-tube out of the boiling water on the hot plate using the oven
mitts provided.
4. Put the temperature probe into the test tube containing the hot Lauric Acid. Make sure
that the tip is fully submerged as much as possible. This step should be done as quickly
as possible.
5. Place the test tube with the temperature probe still in it, into the new 250 mL beaker
containing the cold tap water, being careful not to get any water into the test tube. The
second partner should immediately click “Collect”. This step should be done as quickly
as possible.
6. IN ORDER TO GET GOOD RESULTS, it is imperative that you NOW use the probe to
constantly stir the Lauric acid until it solidifies (this will ensure that the temperature is
constant throughout the Lauric acid sample). Once the Lauric acid is too solid to stir,
stop using the probe to attempt further stirring as this may damage the probe. At this
point the temperature readings will have stopped dropping on the computer screen.
7. You can now add a couple of ice cubes to the water surrounding the Lauric acid test-tube.
Use the entire Lauric Acid/Probe assembly to stir the cold water, keeping the temperature
as constant as possible. Keep adding a couple of ice cubes to the mixture at a time as
melting occurs to ensure temperature control. Do not add more that this amount of ice at
a time or you will not get a smooth curve.
8. Collect the data for this portion of the curve for 10 minutes. The melting point is the flat
portion of the graph. Your data should look something like that shown below.

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Highlight ONLY the flat portion of your graph between the cooling of the molten liquid, and the
further drop in temperature later on. This is the freezing point for your lauric acid sample.
Click the “Linear Fit” button. The Y-intercept is the freezing point.

Place the Lauric acid test-tube back in the hot water bath and melt it again so as to free the
temperature probe. When the probe is free, take it out of the Lauric acid and wipe clean with a
Kimwipe.

Compare the corresponding temperature you found for the freezing point of Lauric Acid to the
known melting point value of 43.5ºC for Lauric Acid. This is also the freezing point of the
Lauric acid because the melting point of a substance (solid to liquid) is the same as the freezing
point (liquid to solid) of the same substance! How good was your measurement?

In rare instances, you may see the temperature of your Lauric Acid sample dip BELOW the
freezing point temperature, and then rise back up to the freezing point temperature just before the
flat portion of the curve. This is a phenomenon called “super-cooling”.

You should calculate your %Error in this experiment using the following equation:

%Error = |Accepted Value – Your Value| x 100

Accepted Value

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RULES FOR “GOOD FORM”

In giving your answer in a formal report, you should always observe the following four steps
(“good form”) for full marks.

Suppose your value was 39.6oC for the melting point of lauric acid and the question asked for
your % error. The following four steps should be given for full marks in the “good form”
category.

Step 1: Write the equation you are going to use.

%Error = |Accepted Value – Your Value| x 100

Accepted Value

Step 2: Isolate the variable that you want to calculate. In this case you want to calculate the
%Error and it is already on the LH side of the equation so this step is finished.

Step 3: Put all the values into the equation from Step 2 complete with all units being careful to
watch for significant figures.

%Error = |43.5oC – 39.6oC| x 100

43.5oC
Step 4: Do calculation and give result.
= 3.9oC x 100 = 9.0%
43.5oC

Notice that the subtraction must be done first in the above example (ALWAYS TRUE FOR
ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS IN BRACKETS OR ABSOLUTE VALUE BARS).
When doing addition and subtraction in Science, it is almost always necessary to put these
calculations in brackets ( ) to ensure that this is the first calculation that we need to deal with.
The bars indicating absolute value have the same result as brackets. What does this have to do
with signifcant figures? If we ignored this calculation, most students would end up with 3
significant figures in their answer. Remember that addition and subtraction use decimal points to
determine what digits are important. There is one decimal point in each of 43.5 and 39.6 which
means there needs to be one decimal point in the answer, 3.9, and this number has two
significant figures. The next step is division. In multiplication and division, significant figures
are important. The number 3.9 has two significant figures and the number 43.5 has three
significant figures so the answer will have the smaller of the two, or two significant figures (9.0).
Notice that the 100 is a “pure number” so it has no effect on the number of significant figures.

You can find the rules for significant figures in the Documents section of CHM 105.

THE INFORMATION HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW IS WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE IN

YOUR ANSWER. YOU DO NOT NEED TO GIVE ALL THE EXPLANATION ABOVE.

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****NOTE THAT THE REPORT FOR THIS EXPERIMENT IS LOCATED IN THE****

****ASSIGNMENTS SECTION OF BB****