EXPERIMENT 1:

DETERMINATION OF THE
FORMULA UNIT OF A COMPOUND
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

a. Synthesize a zinc chloride compound

b. Determine the formula unit of zinc chloride
INTRODUCTION
COMPOUND
A substance composed of two or more elements that are
combined in fixed proportions.

FORMULA UNIT
The empirical formula of an ionic compound which represent
the lowest whole number ratio of the ions in the compound.
EMPIRICAL FORMULA FORMULA UNIT
the simplest whole number ratio the lowest whole number ratio of
that describes consitiuent ions in an ionic compound.
atoms in a species (MOLECULES)

Only in covalent compounds Only in ionic compounds

APPARATUS
CHEMICAL
REAGENT
PROCEDURE
In WEIGHING ROOM
Weigh the empty crucible
+ Add ~ 0.25g Zinc powder
Record exact mass +
Record exact mass of zinc powder
 Stir using glass rod

After adding HCl,

Add 10ml HCl (6M) stir gently until the
zinc powder is
dissolved

Wear Glove when Zinc powder in Do it near to the WINDOW

handling conc. HCl crucible

If zinc powder does After completely

not dissolved dissolved
completely??????

Add more ACID (HCl) and

Amount of HCl added NOT EXCEED 20ml
 Hot Plate
IMMEDIATELY remove the
Place the crucible on a hot plate Heat the content slowly crucible from the hot plate
until completely dry

Reheat it, cool it to room

temperature & weigh
again

Repeat UNTIL difference in mass

NOT EXCEED 0.02g Then quickly close the
Cool it to the room temperature &
crucible with a lid to avoid
weigh the crucible with compound
the compound melt
OBSERVATION
What is the gas evolved when HCl pours into the zinc powder?

H2 gas

Explain why the content is not weighed while it is still hot.

What can you see after the solution is completely dried?

White crystal is formed

RESULTS
 28.5853
a) Mass of empty crucible = ______________g
28.8376
Mass of the crucible + zinc powder = ______________g

Mass of the zinc powder = ______________g

How to calculate?

Refer to discussion in
Pre – Lab Expt 1
b) Mass of crucible + zinc chloride

i. 29.0990
First heating = ______________g
29.1048
ii. Second heating = ______________g

29.1046
iii. Third heating = ______________g

c) i. Mass of zinc chloride = __________________g

How to calculate?
ii. Mass of the chloride = __________________g
CALCULATION
Calculation of the FORMULA UNIT

Zn Cl

Mass / g

mole

Simplest ratio
Therefore, formula unit of zinc chloride is
___________________
From the experiment
DISCUSSION
1 Compare the result from Experiment with theoretical value

2 Reasons for ERRORS

Is the zinc powder is pure powder?

Is the zinc powder is fully reacted with HCl?

Briefly explain the properties of zinc chloride

3 Suggestion of ways to overcome ERRORS

CONCLUSION
Students will do conclusion based on their
OBJECTIVES OF EXPERIMENT
Objectives of Experiment:
a. Synthesize a zinc chloride compound
b. Determine the formula unit of zinc chloride
Thus

a. Zinc chloride compound can be synthesized with

reaction between Zinc metal and Hydrochloric acid
b. The formula unit of zinc chloride is ZnCl2
Q&A
 1. Explain why the content is not weighed while it is still hot.
the hot object will radiate heat in the form of convection
currents in the air above the scale. This will alter the air
pressure above the object unpredictably and produce
unstable readings of the object being massed.
2. Explain why the crucible needs to be covered during cooling.
to prevent moisturefrom the atmosphere interacting with the
anhydrous salt
3. Write a balanced equation for the reaction between zinc and hydrochloric acid.
Zn(s) + 2HCl(l)  H2(g) + ZnCl2(s )
 REPORT WRITING
1 TITLE 5 RESULTS
2 OBJECTIVES 6 CALCULATION
3 INTRODUCTION 7 DISCUSSION
4 PROCEDURE 8 CONCLUSION
(passive sentences) 9
Q&A
Remember…
Safety First!