Empirical Formula of a compound lab 1

Empirical formula of a compound lab

Sarah Zungailo

University High School

Period 3: AP Chemistry

Mr. Hill

August 19th, 2022

Empirical Formula of a compound lab 2

Abstract

In this experiment, we reacted a magnesium strip with hydrochloric acid in order to calculate the

empirical formula using the masses of theses reactants.

Key terms:

Empirical formula
Compound
Ionic Compound
Molecular Compound
Law of conservation of mass
Empirical Formula of a compound lab 3

Planning:
Background: In class, we have been talking about how to make in an empirical formula, which is
a formula found by using the mass in a certain problem in a experiment apposed to using actual
numbers of electrons or atom particles. In order to find the empirical formula you must firs
convert to moles and then divide by the smallest number.

Research Question: What is the empirical formula of magnesium and hydrochloric acid if reacted
together?

Hypothesis: If the formula for magnesium chloride is MgCl₂ then the empirical formula should
be multiples of those numbers.

Significance: This is significant because this experiment shows how different experiments or
trials cana cause the empirical formula to be different because of the left over mass.

Material:
- Hydrochloric acid
- Evaporating dish
- Watch glass
- Hot plate
- Balance
- 50 mL beaker
- Pipet
- Strip of Mg
- Steel Wool
- Tongs

Procedures:
1: Gather all materials needed for the experiment.
2. Using the steel wool, rub the strip of Mg till shiny
3. Find the mass of the Mg by placing it on the balance after Place the strip of mg into the
evaporating dish
4. Using a pipet add HCL to the evaporating dish till the magnesium is fully dissolved
5. Measure the mass of the MgCl and then place the compound on a hot plate
6. Turn the hot plate to medium temperature and place the watch glass on top of the evaporating
dish
7. let the MgCl compound to heat up until it turns into a white powder in the bottom of the dish
Empirical Formula of a compound lab 4

8. After it is a white powder using the tongs measure on the balance the mass of the white
powder by subtracting the mass of the dish form the new amount (MgCl + dish)
9. Place the dish back on the hot plate for 10 more min
10.Once the timer goes off place the evaporating dish back on the balance to get the mass
- If the mass is the same as the last time you checked then it is done (we are trying to make
sure there is no more H₂)
- If the mass is different place it back on the hot plate and heat for another 10 min and
repeat this step till the mass of the new trial is the same as the previous trial

Data Table:

Name Mass (g)

Mass of empty evaporating dish 43.47

Mass of evaporating dish + Magnesium 43.46

Mass of Magnesium 0.07

Mass of evaporating dish and Magnesium 45.34

Chloride (1st)

Mass of evaporating dish and Magnesium 43.75

Chloride (2nd)

Mass of evaporating dish and Magnesium 43.72

Chloride (3rd)

Calculations:
Balanced Equation: Mg + 2HCl → MgCl₂ + H₂

Mass of magnesium: 0.07g

Mass of evaporating dish : 43.47
Mass of final weighing: 43.72

43.72- 43.47 = 0.22g

0.25- 0.07= 0.18g (mass of chlorine)
- Because of law of conservation of mass the amount of magnesium we start with
will be the same in the end product
Empirical Formula of a compound lab 5

0.07g of Mg 1 mol of Mg

24.305g of Mg
= 0.00288 mol of Mg

0.18g of Cl 1 mol of Cl

35.45g of Cl
= 0.005078 mol of Cl

0.00288/ 0.00288 - 1
0.005078/0.0028 - 1.8 ≈ 2

Empirical Formula: MgCl₂

Post Lab Questions:

1. What safety precautions are cited in this experiment? That HCl is a strong acid that can
burn your skin and and eyes, and to wear safety goggles and avoid breathing in the toxic
fumes.

2. Why was an evaporating dish more suitable for this lab procedure, rather than using a
beaker? It is better for drying out something.

3. How would your experimental formula of magnesium chloride “MgClx” have been
affected if your product was not dried completely before weighing it? Would “x” be too
high or two low? Too high

4. When 6.25 grams of pure iron are allowed to react with oxygen, a black oxide forms. If
the product weighs 8.15 g, what is the empirical formula of the oxide?

6.25g of Fe 1 mol of Fe

58.93g of Fe
= 0.106 mol of Fe

1.9g of O₂ 1 mol O₂

32g of O₂
= 0.0594 mol of O₂
0.106/ 0.0594 = 1.8 ≈ 2
Empirical Formula of a compound lab 6

0.0594/ 0.0594 = 1
Empirical Formula: Fe₂O

5. A compound of nitrogen and oxygen is 30.46% by mass N and 69.54% by mass O. The
molar mass if the compound was determined to be 92 g/mol.
a. What is the empirical formula of the compound?

30.46g of N₂ 1 mol of N₂

28.02g of N₂
= 1.08703 mol of N₂

69.54g of O₂ 1 mol O₂

32g of O₂
= 2.17313 mol of O₂
1.08703/ 1.08703 = 2
2.17313/ 1.08703 = 1

Empirical Formula: N₂O

b. What is the molecular formula of the compound?

Molar Mass of N₂O: 44.02g
92/ 44.02 = 2.08996 = 2

Molecular Formula: N₄O₂

6. How many moles of copper atoms are in 150 g of copper metal?

150g of Cu 1 mol of Cu

63.55g of Cu
= 2.36035 mol of Cu

7. How many copper atoms are in this amount of copper?

2.36035 mol of Cu 6.022 x 10²³ atoms of Cu

1 mol of Cu
= 1.42 x 10²⁴ atoms of Cu

8. Write the empirical formula for the following compounds containing 0.0200 mole of Al
and 0.0600 mole of Cl.
Cl: 0.0600/ 0.0200 = 3
Empirical Formula of a compound lab 7

Al: 0.0200/0.0200 = 1
Empirical Formula: AlCl₃

9. Write the empirical formula for the following compounds containing 0.0800 mole of Ba,
0.0800 mole of S, and 0.320 mole of O.

Ba: 0.0800/ 0.0800 = 1

S: 0.0800/ 0.0800 = 1
O: 0.320/ 0.0800 = 4
Empirical Formula: BaSO₄

10. When 0.424 g of iron powder is burned in an oxygen atmosphere, 0.606 g of a reddish
brown oxide is obtained. Determine the empirical formula of the oxide.

0.424g of Fe 1 mol of Fe

58.933g of Fe
= 0.0072 mol of Fe

0.182g of O₂ 1 mol O₂

32g of O₂
= 0.006 mol of O₂
0.007195/ 0.005688 = 1.2 = 1
0.005688/ 0.005688 = 1

Empirical Formula: FeO

Conclusion:
In our experiment, we combined a strip of Mg and HCl acid to try and use the masses

from the final product to make an empirical formula. The formula I ended up getting was MgCl₂

which is the “correct” formula because when you make the formula for Magnesium Chloride

using the charges (because it is an ionic compound) the formula is MgCl₂, due to Mg’s +2 charge

and Cl’s -1 charge. In order to find this empirical formula we found the mass of the magnesium

strip which stays the same throughout the experiment due to law of conservation of mass. We

subtract the final mass from the mass of the evaporating dish to get 0.25g of Magnesium

Chloride and we know because of the law of conservation of mass that the mass of Mg is 0.07g
Empirical Formula of a compound lab 8

and finding the difference we find that the mass of Chlorine is 0.18g. I then converted it to moles

and then divided by the smaller number to find the empirical formula. The possible errors that

may have happened in this experiment are that the MgCl₂ was not fully done drying out, which

would change the mass and in turn the empirical formula, also possibly adding too much HCl in

the beginning can change the mass in the end.