Lab Report #3 – Limiting Reagent of Solution

Procedure
See experiment three pre-lab in my laboratory manual on page 6. Nothing in the procedure was
changed during the actual experiment.

Part A. – Making Chalk

Na2 C O 3 ( aq )+Ca Cl 2 ( aq ) → NaCl ( aq ) +CaC O 3 (s )↓

Ratio of NaCO3 and CaCl2 is 1:1

Experimental Data:
In my part of the experiment I used 25.00ml of CaCl2 (0.5M) and 5.00ml of NaCO3 (1.5M).

Mass of Watch glass 21.944g

Mass of watch glass with 22.567g
filter paper
Mass of watch glass + filter 23.286g
paper+ Chalk (#1)
Mass of watch glass + filter 23.273g
paper+ Chalk (#2)
Table 1.
Calculated Results:

Amount of CaCl2 (mol) 0.0125

Amount of NaCO3 (mol) 0.0075
Mass of Chalk 0.706g
Theoretical Mass of CaCO3 0.75g
Percent Yield 94%

My lab partner did the same experiment using 20.00ml of CaCl2 (0.5M) and 10.00ml of NaCO3
(1.5M). She got 0.95g of Chalk and her percent yield was 95%. Her limiting reagent was Calcium
chloride.

Sample calculations:
0.5 mol
nCaCl 2=VxM =25.00 ml x =0.0125 mol
1000 ml
 1.5 mol
n NaCO 3=VxM =5.00 ml x =0.0075 mol
1000 ml
(Limiting reagent is sodium carbonate as ratio of the two compounds is 1:1 in actual reaction)
M Chalk =M W+ F +C −M W + F =23.273 g−22.567 g=0.706 g

g
Theoretical Mass of chalk=nxM =0.0075mol x 100.1 =0.75 g
mol
Practical Massof Chalk 0.706 g
percent yield= x 100 %= x 100 %=94 %
Theoretical Mass of Chalk 0.75 g

Part B- Making Copper Hydroxide

CuS O 4 ( aq )+2 NaOH ( aq ) →Cu ( OH )2 ( s ) ↓+ N a 2 S O 4 (aq)

So the ratio of CuSO4 and NaOH in actual reaction is 1:2

Experimental Data:
Test Tube # Drops of CuSO4 Drops of NaOH Ratio (CuSO4:NaOH)
1 4 20 1:5
2 8 16 1:2
3 12 12 1:1
4 16 8 2:1
5 20 4 5:1

Observations:
Test Tube #2 – The most amount of precipitation (light blue mixture)
Test Tube #3 – Second most amount of precipitate (light blue mixture)
Test Tube #4 – Third most amount of precipitate (light blue mixture)
Test Tube #1 – Roughly same amount of precipitate as in #4 (mixture turned dark green color
which is due to decomposition of Cu(OH)2 to CuO)

Test Tube #5 – Least amount of precipitate (light blue mixture)

Discussion/questions
1. Results in part A were quite accurate. Some of the systematic errors in Part A are due
to the slight inaccuracy of graduated cylinder. Another reason for error is chalk going
through the filter paper and creating layer on the bottom of the flask. In Part B the
volume of droplets might have been inconsistent, thus giving us inaccurate ratio.
2. In the balanced reaction CuSO4:NaOH = 1:2, Test tube #2 which had most precipitate
also had same ratio of copper sulfate and sodium hydroxide. The precipitate was
clearly seen in this test tube.
3. In my experiment according to the theoretical calculations 0.75g of chalk should have
been created, but 0.706g were on the filter paper, this meant that I had 94%precent
yield. While in my lab partner’s experiment theoretical value of chalk mass was 1.00g
but she weighed 0.95 gram sof it. Her percent yield was 95%.
4. Some of the water will be absorbed by paper, this mass will be interpreted by us as
more chalk, mistaking us that we got more percent yield than we actually did.
5. If solids were left in the beaker the mass of chalk would be significantly lower than
actual mass.