Chem 11 – Identification of Pure Substances using Molar Mass

TEACHER NOTES

Pre-lab talk:
Give each group of students a bag containing one of the samples.
The bag is labelled with the number of moles of solid inside it.

Ask students:
How will we find the identity of this sample?

As a group, establish:
-appearances are very similar, so this isn’t enough
-molar mass is a constant property of matter.
If we know the molar mass and can compare it some possible candidates, we can identify
the solid. (Refer back to the density lab, where we did the same thing)

At this point, the new question becomes:

How can we find the molar mass of this substance?

Let lab groups work independently from here onward to decide which values they need to compare
and which calculations they’ll need to perform. I have not asked for procedure approval,
since the groups aren’t doing anything that will go too far astray. I DO ask them not to open
the bags.

Things students need to notice:

-The solids are in baggies. This means the mass of the baggie must be determined and
subtracted before mole calculations are performed. Have some empty baggies available.

Strategies:
Students come up with two common strategies:
1) Find the molar mass of each compound from the periodic table.
Find the molar mass of the unknown. Compare. (this is easiest)

OR

2) Take the number of moles in the bag. Multiply it by the molar mass of each possible
compound, and figure out how much the bag would weigh in each case. Which one
matches? (This is a LOT of work, but equally valid)

Encourage students to look up properties of their suspected matches. Is the substance supposed
to be crystalline? Powdery? Use observations to support the math.