CHEM2241 Homework 1 2022

Significant Figures in Laboratory Work

1. You prepared a 0.250 M NH3 solution by diluting 8.45 (±0.04) mL of 28.0 (±0.5) wt%NH3
[density ± 0.899 (± 0.003) g/mL] up to 500.0 (± 0.2) mL. Find the uncertainty in 0.250 M.
(Assume: The molecular mass of NH3, 17.0305 g/mol, has negligible uncertainty relative
to other uncertainties in this problem).

To find the uncertainty in molarity, we need to find the uncertainty in moles delivered to
the 500-mL flask. The concentrated reagent contains 0.899 (±0.003) g of solution per
milliliter. Weight percent tells us that the reagent contains 0.280 (±0.005) g of NH3 per
gram of solution. In our calculations, we retain extra insignificant digits and round off only
at the end.

𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟

𝑔𝑔 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑔𝑔 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3
= 0.899(±0.003) × 0.280(±0.005)
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑔𝑔 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑔𝑔 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑔𝑔 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3
= 0.899(±0.334%) × 0.280(±1.79%)
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑔𝑔 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑔𝑔 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3
= 0.251 7(±1.82%)
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
Because �(0.334%)2 + (1.79%)2 = 1.82%
Next, we find the moles of ammonia contained in 8.45 (±0.04) mL of concentrated
reagent. The relative uncertainty in volume is 0.04/8.45 = 0.473%.
𝑔𝑔 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁
0.251 7 (±1.82%) 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 3 × 8.45(±0.473%)𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3 =
𝑔𝑔 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3
17.030 5 (±0%)
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
= 0.124 9 (±1.88%) 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
Because �(1.82%)2 + (0.473%)2 + (0%)2 = 1.88%
This much ammonia was diluted to 0.500 0 (±0.000 2) L. The relative uncertainty in the
final volume is 0.000 2/0.500 0 = 0.04%. The molarity is
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁3 0.124 9 (±1.88%) 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
= = 0.249 8 (±1.88%) 𝑀𝑀
𝐿𝐿 0.500 0 (±0.04%) 𝐿𝐿
Because �(1.88%)2 + (0.04%)2 = 1.88%. The absolute uncertainty is 1.88% of
0.249 8 M = 0.004 7M. The uncertainty in the molarity is in the third decimal place,
[NH3] = 0.250 (±0.005) M
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