Milda Noskovaitė

SALT DISSOLVING IN WATER

Aim

To calculate the amount of heat given out/taken in (enthalpy change) while salt dissolves in

water using the equation of quantity of heat.

Introduction

The equation of quantity of heat can be used in order to calculate the enthalpy change (ΔH)

when mass of salt (m), c (specific heat capacity of water) are known:

Q = m c ΔT (ΔT needs to be calculated using formula: ΔT= t2-t1)

Given this formula of molar enthalpy change: ΔH = – Q ÷ n, the final formula rearranges to:

ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n

During this experiment, solid salt, which is ammonium chloride, will be weighed and put into

polystyrene cup poured with 100 g of water which will be placed in a glass beaker. The

solution will undergo the reaction, in which the heat will be given out to the surroundings or

taken from the surroundings. The temperature will be measured with digital thermometer

during the whole process. Every 30 seconds there will be shown the temperature of solution

in Celsius and it will be marked. The positive/negative change of temperature will evidence

whether the reaction is exothermic (gives out heat to the environment) or edothermic (absorbs

heat from the environment). The chemical equation is:

NH4CL (s) → NH4CL (aq)

The temperature of solution will be measured until the temperature will remain steady at least

90 seconds (be equal to the temperature of environment).

The experiment will be repeated 2 more times.

 Milda Noskovaitė

The enthalpy change will be determined from the following data:

 mass (m) of solution: used the same as mass of water

 capacity (c): specific heat capacity of water

 amount of substance (n) of NH4CL: calculated with formula n= m ÷ M

 temperature difference (ΔT): calculated by substracting the first temperature from last

temperature

Equipment List

 ammonium chloride (NH4CL(s))

 polystyrene cup

 100ml measuring cylinder (±0.5ml)

 glass beaker

 digital thermometer (±)

 small plastic cup

 electronic scale

 water

Assumptions

Method

1. Place a polystyrene cup in a glassbeaker.

2. Transfer 80.0-100.0g of water into the polystyrene cup with a measuring cylinder.

3. Start recording temperature of water and mark the temperature of it each 30 seconds.

4. Weigh NH4Cl (ammonium chloride) between 2.5 and 3.0g using an electronic scale.

5. Add the ammonium chloride to water right after 120 seconds of temperature

recording.
 Milda Noskovaitė

6. Record until the temperature of solution becomes stable for at least 90 seconds.

Results

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Time (s) Temperature (°C) (±0.01°C)
0 22.9 22.8 22.9
30 23.0 23.0 23.0
60 22.7 23.0 23.0
90 23.0 22.7 22.7
120 22.7 22.9 22.9
Average 22.9 23.0 22.9
temperatur
e (T1)
The ammonium chloride is added
150 19.6 21.2 18.1
180 21.8 21.1 18.2
210 19.9 21.0 18.6
240 20.6 21.4 18.7
270 19.8 21.2 18.8
300 20.1 21.3 19.1
330 20.1 21.4 19.4
360 20.9 21.1 19.5
390 20.9 21.5 19.6
420 21.0 21.3 19.8
450 21.0 21.3 19.8
480 21.0 21.3 19.8
Average 20.3 21.2 18.7
temperatur
e (T2)

Average temperature (T1) is the same as the first temperature, Average temperature (T2)- as
the last.
 Milda Noskovaitė

Calculations and analysis

Trial 1

2.84g of ammonium chlorid and 100.0g of water is used.

T1=22.9°C, T2= 20.3°C

In order to calculate the enthalpy change, formula is used: ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n

m= 100.0g (mass of solution should be equal to mass of water because the mass of
ammonium chloride is relatively small and it is ignored in the calculation)

c= 4.18 J/g/°C (we use specific heat capacity of water because the mixture is mostly water )

ΔT= (t2-t1) = 20.3-22.9= -2.6°C (substracting the first temperature from last temperature)

n= m ÷ M (where n is the amount, in moles, of NH4Cl, m is mass of NH4Cl, M- molar

concentration of NH4Cl)

n = 2.84 g ÷ 53.5gmol-1 = 0.0531mol

ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n = -100.0g × 4.18 J/g/°C × (-2.6°C) ÷ 0.0531 mol = 20 467 J mol-1 =

+20.5 kJmol -1 (final answer to 2 sf since ΔT is determined to 3 sf)

So, the amount of heat absorbed when dissolving 1 mole of ammonium chloride is therefore:

NH4Cl(s) → NH4Cl(aq) ΔH = +20.5 kJmol-1 endothermic reaction (absorbs

heat from the environment)

Trial 2

2.83g of ammonium chlorid and 100.0g of water is used.

T1=23.0°C, T2= 21.2 °C

In order to calculate the enthalpy change, formula is used: ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n

 Milda Noskovaitė

ΔT= (t2-t1) = 21.2- 23.0 = -1.8°C

n= m ÷ M (where n is the amount, in moles, of NH4Cl, m is mass of NH4Cl, M- molar

concentration of NH4Cl)

n = 2.83 g ÷ 53.5gmol-1 = 0.0529mol

ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n = -100.0g × 4.18 J/g/°C × (-1.8°C) ÷ 0.0529 mol = 14 223 Jmol-1 =

+14.2 kJmol -1 (final answer to 2 sf since ΔT is determined to 3 sf)

So, the amount of heat absorbed when dissolving 1 mole of ammonium chloride is therefore:

NH4Cl(s) → NH4Cl(aq) ΔH = +14.2 kJmol-1 endothermic reaction (absorbs

heat from the environment)

Trial 3

2.84g of ammonium chlorid and 100.0g of water is used.

T1=22.9°C, T2= 18.7°C

In order to calculate the enthalpy change, formula is used: ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n

ΔT= (t2-t1) = 18.7 -22.9 = -4.2°C

n = 0.0531mol

ΔH= -m c (t2-t1) ÷ n = -100.0g × 4.18 J/g/°C × (-4.2°C) ÷ 0.0531 mol = 33 062 Jmol-1 = +33.1

kJmol -1 (final answer to 2 sf since ΔT is determined to 3 sf)

So, the amount of heat absorbed when dissolving 1 mole of ammonium chloride is therefore:
 Milda Noskovaitė

NH4Cl(s) → NH4Cl(aq) ΔH = +33.1 kJmol-1 endothermic reaction (absorbs

heat from the environment)

Conclusion and evaluation

The ammonium chlorid reaction with water is an endothermic reaction. That means reactions

absorb heat from the environment. Although the results were right, however, there were

major sources of error in the experiment, that could have affected the result.

Firstly, the mass of the ammonium chloride doesn‘t compound the mass of solution. The

mass of the solution is 100g. The mass of ammonium chloride is relatively small and that‘s

why it‘s ignored in the calculation. The results are not clear, which could have made the

impact to experimnt.

Also, major source of error was that heat absorbed from the surrounding air, which made

much more difference to the results.

Nevertheless, the experiment gave right results, they were still not 100% right. Due to belated

adding of ammonium chloride into water, rough surface on which the cylinder stand and the

volume of water was measured results could have been worse.