Year 9 Science

Conservation of Mass Practical Report

INTRODUCTION:
Chemical reactions involve breaking chemical bonds between reactant molecules and forming
new bonds between product molecules. Dissolving effervescent aspirin tablets are an example of a
chemical reaction which is used in everyday life to relieve pain, fever and inflammation. Each
tablet contains aspirin, citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. When the tablets are added to water,
sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) reacts with citric acid (C6H8O7). This acid-base reaction results in
the formation of water, carbon dioxide gas and a salt called sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7).
In this experiment you will measure the amount of products obtained over time by measuring the
change in mass of the reaction mixture. You will then discuss how this occurs considering the law
of conservation of mass which states that during a chemical reaction, matter cannot be created or
destroyed.
AIM:
To investigate the law of conservation of mass by measuring the amount of product obtained from a
chemical reaction.

Hypothesis: If the aspirin tablet containing citric acid and sodium bicarbonate were to be submerged
under water, then the sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) will react with the citric acid (C6H8O7).

Variables:
Through out this science experiment that was conducted, there were certain variables that took part, the
independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is the factor that is manipulated or
altered when conducting a scientific experiment, it represents the cause or reason for an outcome.
The dependent variable is the variable that is trialled and measured. The independent varies on the
submerged underwater in the conical flask and the amount of water being used in each test, by the
quantity be altered this effects the dependent variable as the mass is required to be recorded every
fifteen seconds varying the results. The controlled variable has been carefully selected as changing as if
one of the factors were to be introduce to a new factor the course of the result and experiment will be
altered. Some of the controlled variables in this experiment was the conical flask being chosen, the
balloon being used, quantity of the tablets and scale for measuring. The un-controlled variable are the
factors within the experiment that cannot be altered. Some of the un-controlled variables are the air and
time.
Materials and Method:
Materials:
- Conical flask x 3
- Balloon
- 75ml of water
- Effervescent aspirin tablets x 2
- Scales
- 25ml measuring cylinder
- Sponges and towels for clean up
- Pipette
- Stopwatch

Method:
1. Collected all equipment.
2. Placed a conical flask onto the scale and tared the weight.
3. Measured 25ml of water in the measuring cylinder and poured this into the conical
flask.
4. Added one full tablet of aspirin into the water and at the same time began the
stopwatch.
5. Read and recorded the initial weight of the reaction mixture in the results table.
6. Watched the reaction and recorded the weight of the mixture every 15 seconds until
there was no change in weight overall.
7. Repeated this process with half of an aspirin tablet. The tablet was split into two equal
halves, and the other half of the tablet was kept for the final trial.
8. For the final trial, the remaining half of an aspirin tablet was placed into a balloon,
25ml of water was poured into a conical flask, and the balloon was carefully placed
over the mouth of the conical flask without tipping the tablet into the flask. The initial
mass of the balloon and the conical flask was recorded in the results table.
9. the tablet in the beaker, then, as quickly as possible, place the balloon over the
top to encapsulate as much gas as possible. Record the mass of the balloon and
reaction mixture every 15 seconds in the results table.
10. The weight of the flask was monitored, and any changes were recorded in the results
table as before.

Hazards and Precautions:

 Hazards Precautions
Eye Injuries To avoid this hazard, be sure to wear proper safety laboratory clothing for the eyes,
such as approved safety goggles/glasses.
Glassware Cuts To avoid this hazard, be sure to keep all surrounding clear to prevent tripping and
shattering glass all over the floor and possible giving others glass cuts, another
precaution that much be taken into considerations is wearing correct safety clothing
like a cut resistant lab coat.

Results:
Mass (g)
Time (seconds) One tablet Half Tablet Balloon + Half Tablet
0 26.49 25.16 28.08
15 26.41 25.12 28.04
30 26.31 25.08 28
45 26.21 25.04 27.96
60 26.13 25 27.94
75 26.07 25 27.94
90 26.03 25 27.90
(Figure 1)

(Figure 2)
As shown in both of these table/graph each test has a steady decrease in the mass as each of the
tablets are dissolving.
Discussion:

Interpretation of the Data:

As shown in both figure 1 and 2 it can be seen that for both of the first two tests where the aspirin
tablets were compared from a whole to a half, both results show that there were no drastic
changes through out all the 1 minute and 15 seconds of recording for every 15 seconds. The graph
clearly demonstrates that both mass of the aspirin tablets being submerged underwater stay the
same as the tablet was placed, the mass of both results would decrease at a very slow rate and
would stay the same through out the end as the tablet would have already dissolved and turn into
gas. Some of the evidence that the chemical reaction was occurring is the bubbling, gas rising and
the balloon inflating from all the gas from the conical flask. In conclusion the graph and table
demonstrates that the law of conservation of mass that mass could either create or destroy in a
chemical reaction, and for this instants the chemical reaction of the law of conservation is being
destroyed at the conjoint mass from the tablet and water were first weight at the start which then
the tablet will dissolve from the contact of water and decrease the mass ever so slightly as shown
in the first two tests where to quantities were compared. Another law of conservation is when the
tablet dissolved with in the conical flask where that gas could only escape in one opening which it
was covered by a balloon meaning there was no escape, the proof of the chemical reaction was
when the balloon was being inflated from all the gas building up.
Evaluation of the Procedure:
During experiments, procedures don’t always goes as planned, when working in a lab there’s always a
possibility that that something could not go the way it was planned, messing up the procedure or in
short, an error. There are two specific errors when working in a lab, systematic and random, Random
error, also known as statistical error, is caused by unpredictable fluctuations in the measurement
process. It is a type of error that occurs randomly and cannot be eliminated completely. Random errors
can be minimized by increasing the number of measurements taken or by improving the precision of the
measuring instrument. Examples of random errors include fluctuations in temperature, variations in the
sensitivity of the measuring instrument, and the presence of external interference. Systematic error, on
the other hand, is a type of error that occurs consistently in a particular direction. It is caused by some
flaw or bias in the experimental setup or measurement process. Systematic errors can be minimized or
eliminated by identifying and correcting the source of the error. Examples of systematic errors include
misalignment of measuring instruments, incorrect calibration, and incorrect assumptions about the
behaviour of the system being studied. During this procedure there could have been a number of random
errors, like using the wrong conical flask, not adding the required amount of water and not being able to
place the balloon on the conical flask properly. The systematic error that could have occurred is the
scale not working or one of the conical flask was broken beforehand.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, if the aspirin tablet is submerge underwater then the tablet will dissolve
reducing the original mass that was weight from the beginning of the conjoint mass of
both tablet and water.