AS114

EXPERIMENT 1
BASIC LABORATORY TECHNIQUES

WAN SYAZAQISTINA
2023300959

WAN SAFIYA IZZATI BINTI WAN MOHD ZURAIZAM

2023167031

DATE OF EXPERIMENT: 4 APRIL 2023

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 14 APRIL 2023

LECTURER’S NAME: DR. RUHAIDA BINTI RUSMIN

INTRODUCTION
The laboratory apparatus is used for carrying out reaction thus laboratory techniques is
important so that we can avoid making mistakes and error during the experiment.
Generally, chemistry is known as an experimental subject that involves quantitative
analytical procedure.
Mistakes and errors are commonly happened during the experiment but the result of
experiment need to be precise and accurate. Accuracy to the agreement of a particular
value with the true value. Precision refers to the degree of agreement among several
measurements of the same quantity. Mistake is a blunder or unintentional action that
consequence is undesirable. Error has two different types which is random error and
systematic error. Random error is an indeterminate error that measurement has an equal
probability of being high or low while systematic error (determine error) always either high
or low that indicate large random errors that can happen when an apparatus is not
calibratedly used. Both errors can be reduced by using a good technique while doing an
experiment.

OBJECTIVES
 To learn the qualitative and quantitative aspects of common laboratory equipment.
 To expose students to the factors that affect the accuracy of an experiment

APPARATUS
 Analytical balance
 Burette
 Pipette (20 ml)
 Volumetric flask (50 ml)
 Beaker (50 ml)
 Thermometer
 Pipette filler
 Retort stand
 Burette clamp
 Dropper

CHEMICAL
 Distilled water
PROCEDURES

A. Calibration of volumetric flask

1. A 50-ml volumetric flask was cleaned and dried and it was weighed accurately using
an analytical balance. The mass of empty volumetric flask was recorded.
2. Distilled water was added until the calibration mark (a dropper was used to add the
last few drops of distilled water) and then weighed again.The mass of distilled water
and volumetric flask were recorded.
3. The temperature of distilled water was recorded.
4. The actual volume of the volumetric flask was determined from Table 1.

B. Calibration of pipette
1. A 50ml beaker was cleaned and dried and it was weighed accurately using an
analytical balance.The mass of empty beaker recorded.
2. A 20-ml pipette was cleaned and rinsed with distilled water.
3. The pipette was filled with distilled water using the procedures that have been
discussed in the introduction part.
4. The distilled water was drained into the beaker and weighed again.The mass of
distilled water and beaker was recorded.
5. Step 1–4 were repeated one more time and the temperature of the distilled water
was recorded.
6. The actual volume of the pipette was determined from Table 1.

C. Calibration of burette
1. A 50ml beaker was cleaned and dried and it was weighed accurately using an
analytical balance.The mass of empty beaker recorded.
2. The burette was cleaned and rinsed using distilled water and the burette was filled
with distilled water until the zero mark.
3. 5 ml of the water from the burette was drained into the beaker and weighed as soon
as possible.The mass was recorded.
4. Step 3 was repeated by draining water from the burette until the following burette
readings became 10 ml, 15 ml, and 20 ml.(Each time 5 ml distilled water has been
added from the burette).The mass (distilled water + beaker) every time after adding
5 ml of water was recorded.
5. The temperature of the distilled water was recorded.
6. The actual volume for every addition of 5ml of distilled water was determined from
Table 1.
CALCULATIONS

A. Determine the actual volume of the volumetric flask based on calculation.

g
Density =
ml

49.6 2 43
0.9924 =
ml

= 50.00 ml

B. Determine the actual volume of the pipette based on the calculation for
experiment (i) and experiment (ii).

13.7999 19.8997
0.6900= 0.9949=
ml ml

ml=20.00 ml ml=20.00 ml

C. Determine the actual volume of distilled water (in ml) for each 5ml burette
reading based on calculation.

Reading of burette (ml) Volume of water (ml)

0-5 4.7725
5-10 5.2373
10-15 5.0514
15-20 4.9389

0.9817
4.6852=
ml 0.9817
4.959=
ml
ml=4.7725
ml=5.0514

0.9817
5.1415=
ml 0.9817
4.848=
ml
ml=5.2373
 ml=4.9384

DISCUSSION

The result that was obtained in this experiment were a bit different from what the
theory said. The volume of the volumetric flask had been calculated accurately to the
theoretical volume which is 50 ml. The volume for the pipette had also been
accurately calculated with the theoretical volume which is 20 ml for both attempts.
The burette was supposed to remove 5 ml each time but the calculated volume that
has been removed for the first attempt was less than 5 ml. The result was 4.7725 ml.

The result that doesn’t get the actual volume may be caused by parallax error which
the position of the eyes was not perpendicular to the scale while the reading was
taken. Not only that , the result may be effected because of the volume of distilled
water which may be under or over the meniscus level.

In order to reduce the errors in the experiment, the experiment must be done
properly , accurately and precisely. Other than that , always pre-wetting the pipette
tip because it will increase the accurancy. For the calibration of the burette, make
sure that there’s no air bubbles in the tip of the burette because the reading will not
be accurate.

CONCLUSION

As an overall conclusion , basic techniques in laboratory work such as weighing ,

record temperature and read the reading correctly had been learned. Other than
that , the factors that affect the accurancy of an experiment usually caused by
human error. For example , not reading the measurements properly and systematic
error that caused by consistently incorrect measurements technique. By exposing
the factors that can affect the result of experiment , the common laboratory
equipments such as pipette , volumetric flask thermometer and analytical balance
will be handled properly in any other experiment to achieve accurate results or
readings.
 QUESTIONS

1. How do you overcome or reduce the problem of random error and systematic error
while doing an experiment ?

= We can overcome or reduce the problem of random error systematic error while
doing an experiment is by take repeated measurements and routinely calibrating
equipment.

2. In what situation do you use a volumetric flask , conical flask , pipette and graduated
cylinder ? Explain your answer from the accurancy aspects of these apparatus .

=Volumetric flask is used to accurately prepare a solution of known concetration .

Conical flask is used for holding liquid and mixing them by swirling . Pipette is used to
transport a measured volume of liquid . Graduated cylinder is used to precisely
measure the volume of liquids.

3. Explain how to read a burette . What are the factors to be considered while using the
burette ?

=The factors to be considered while using the burette is read the liquid level using
the bottom meniscus which is a curved surface that existed at the top of the liquid
level.

PREFERENCES

 BOOK : J. A. Beran (2009). Laboratory Manual for Principles of General

Chemistry (8th Edition). 111 River Street , Hoboken , NJ. John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.

ARTICLE: https://bootcamp.com/blog/general-chemistry-lab-techniques-
cheatsheet