UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE GUADALAJARA

SEGUNDO SEMESTRE
QUIMICA II
LABORATORY PRACTICE #1.
STOICHIOMETRY OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Introduction
Stoichiometry describes the quantitative relationship between reactants and/or products
in a chemical reaction. In chemistry, reactions are frequently written as an equation, using
chemical symbols. The reactants are on the left side of the equation, and the products are on the right.

The law of Conservation of Mass tells us that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical
reaction. Because of this, a proper chemical equation must be balanced; the number of atoms of an
element on one side of the equation must match the number of atoms of that element on the other side.
A mole is a unit of measurement just like a “dozen” eggs is 12 eggs. A mole, which was
chosen because it is the number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon, is known as Avogadro’s number (6.02 x
1023). The number of grams in a mole differs from substance to substance – just
like a dozen eggs has a different weight than a dozen elephants, a mole of oxygen has a different
weight than a mole of hydrogen – even though in each case, there are 6.02 x 1023 atoms.
Using the concept of stoichiometry, the amount of product that results from a chemical reaction can be
predicted.

A balanced chemical equation provides a great deal of information in a very succinct format, like the
relative number of moles in each of the substances involved, and therefore, the relative mass of each
substance.

𝑎𝐴 + 𝑏𝐵 ⟶ 𝑐𝐶 + 𝑑𝐷

These quantitative relationships (mass and volume) are known as the reaction’s stoichiometry, a term
derived from the Greek words stoicheion (meaning “element”) and metron (meaning “measure”). This is
based on the Ponderal laws of chemistry (Law of definite proportions and Law of Conservation mass), and
the concept of mole, Avogadro’s number, and the relative weight of the atoms. According to all these
concepts, when a chemical reaction occur, the amount of the consumed or produced substances are
related by the fixed stoichiometric relationships that don’t depend on the amounts of the substances
involved, these substances allow us to measure the mass of a reactant or product in function of the mass
of other participant in the reaction.

In this way, the balanced equation complies with the law of conservation mass and shows the
stoichiometric coefficients that will define the value of the different stoichiometric relationships, giving
compliance to the definite proportions law. From the previous reaction model, we have:
𝐴 𝑎 × 𝑀𝑀𝐴
𝑅𝐸 ( ) =
𝐵 𝑏 × 𝑀𝑀𝐵

Similarly, 5 different stoichiometric relationships can be expressed for the different participants. It must
be remembered that in a balanced equation, the coefficients define the stoichiometric relationships, and
their appropriate selection produces a cancellation of the units (moles or mass). Thus, the stoichiometric
ratio can be considered as the conversion factor between the produced or consumed quantity of one of
the substances and the consumed or produced quantity of another.
Objective:
Determine some stoichiometric calculations of the thermal decomposition of baking soda.

Hypothesis:
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Pre-Lab:

1. Explain, what is a mole?

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2. Describe the different types of reactions:

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3. What is stoichiometry?
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Materials:

Equipment:
- Bunsen burner
- Digital balance scale 0.01g Substances:
- Asbestos ring
- Tripod - 1gr NaHCO3
- 50mL Beaker
- Spoon/spatula
- Watch glass
- Beaker tongs

Procedure:

1. Read all the steps of each experiment and ask your questions to the teacher.
2. Do not forget to take notes and photos throughout the practice.
3. Be careful with the material and substances.

Experiment. Thermal decomposition of baking soda

1. Weigh the empty beaker and then add approximately 1gr of NaHCO3.
2. Weigh the beaker Table #1.
 Table 1.- Data of NHCO3 weigh (grams)

Empty Beaker Weigh Beaker + NaHCO3 Weigh NaHCO3 Weigh

3. Place a watch glass over the Beaker and heat gently for 5 minutes, cool and weigh.
a. Write and explain your observations of the first heating:

4. Repeat the operation until obtaining a constant weight for the beaker plus the
residue. Avoid overheating as baking soda decomposes above 300 oC.

Table 2.- Results

Beaker weigh + residue Beaker Weigh Residue weigh (g) Residue/NaHCO3 ratio
(g) (g)

With the collected data make the calculations to select the correct chemical
mechanism in the thermal decomposition of baking soda between the next 3 possible
ways, justify your answer.

𝑁𝑎𝐻𝐶𝑂3 (𝑠) ⟶ 𝑁𝑎(𝑂𝐻)(𝑠) + 𝐶𝑂2 (𝑔)

2𝑁𝑎𝐻𝐶𝑂3 (𝑠) ⟶ 𝑁𝑎2 𝑂(𝑠) + 2𝐶𝑂2 (𝑔) + 𝐻2 𝑂

2𝑁𝑎𝐻𝐶𝑂3 (𝑠) ⟶ 𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3 (𝑠) + 𝐶𝑂2 (𝑔) + 𝐻2 𝑂

a. Selected mechanism:
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b. Explanation
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 Data to do the Math

Table 3.- Molar Mass (g / mol)

NaHCO3 NaOH Na2O Na2CO3

Table 4.- Residue/ baking soda ratios

Residue/ NaHCO3 Reaction 1 Reaction 2 Reaction 3

Table 5.- Residue/ Baking soda values of the experimental relationships

Reaction 1 Reaction 2 Reaction 3

Residue/
NaHCO3

Type of chemical reaction:

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3.Results

1. Add the pictures for each experiment and describe them.

2. Answer all the questions of the document.

Answer the next questions:

1. How are the reactants and produced quantities of a chemical reaction related? Explain:
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2. Explain, why a chemical equation must be balanced before its interpretation?

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3. How many grams of CO2 a n d w a t e r w e r e r e l e a s e d i n t h e r e a c t i o n

developed during this session?
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 Conclusion

Describe: Write a short paragraph about what you have learned (not if you liked the lab or not)
regarding what information each experiment provide the type of reactions. What were some
sources of error in the lab (at least 2)? How would these errors have affected your results? What
would you do differently if you could do this lab again? Why?, Was your hypothesis correct or
not? Why?

After completing this practice, I have learned…

4.- References:

1. T. L. Brown, H. E. LeMay y B. E. Bursten. 1998. QUÏMICA – La ciencia central. Ed.

PearsonEduc. México.
2. Rocha Figueira, J. Coch y M. Zepica. 1988. "Teaching Stoichiometry". Journal of
Chem.Educ, vol 65(12), 1060-1061.