Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology

School of Biological Sciences and Applied Chemistry

Chemistry – CHM173

Determination of Physical Constants – Liquid Samples

Name: ___________________Nidhi Patel_____________________________________

Date of Experiment: _________________27TH

SEPTEMBER’2019____________________________

Unknown Identification (Number): _______________5__________________

Purpose: (1 mark)

To identify an unknown (#5) liquid sample by determining various physical constants

such as Density, Refractive index, Boiling point and Solubility in selected solvents.

Theory: Answer the following questions in your own words. Use full sentences in
paragraph form in the space provided. Reference your sources.

1. Define refractive index. (2 marks)

Refractive index is the ratio of velocity of light in a vacuum to its velocity in specified
medium.

n= observed R.I ±|(observed T-20*0.00045)| @20⁰C.(Wassenaaar-faber,2015)

Table 1: Solubility Determination of Unknown Liquid No. _____5________

Solute + solvent Observation

Unknown + dH2O The liquid was seen as two different phases ,
hence the unknown solution was insoluble in
distilled water.

Unknown + cyclohexane There was a single phase of liquid , hence the

unknown solution was soluble in cyclohexane
solution.

CHM173 – Physical Constants – Liquid Samples

Fall 2019
Unknown + alcohol There was a single phase of liquid , hence the
unknown solution was soluble in ethyl alcohol
solution.

2
Results:
Table 2: Quantitative Physical Properties of Unknown Liquid No.______5_________
(3 marks)
Boiling Point
Experimentally Pressure of Room Boiling Point Corrected to
Observed Boiling Point (mm Hg) 760 mmHg (°C)
(°C)
76 744 +0.4 = 76.4

Refractive Index
Experimentally Temperature of Refractive Index Corrected to 20°C
Observed Refractive Room (°C)
Index
1.3676 20 1.3676

Density
Mass of Unknown Volume of Density (g/mL)
Liquid (g) Pycnometer (mL)
9.2275 10 0.92275

Calculations: (3 marks)

Boiling Point Correction (°C):

Refractive Index Correction:

Density (g/mL):

3
Discussion:

How did you determine the identity of your unknown sample? (3 marks)
Please include a copy of your Table 1 (pg. 23 from lab manual) that you used to
help you make this identification.

Conclusion: (2 marks)

The four physical constants Boiling point, Density, Refractive index , Solubility
were analyzed alongside Unknown# 5 using various instruments such as
analytical balance((AB7 2010), pycnometer 10ml (18), Boiling point apparatus as
well as Refractometer (1), the results and calculations of which are shown above.
The result shows that unknown colorless sample#5 contains Ethyl acetate
(predicted as explained above).

References:

As per pg 18-22 of the CHM173 Lab manual Wassenaar-faber, M and N Power

(2015); CHM173 Lab manual: Introduction to chemical laboratory technique,
Toronto, ON: Seneca College.