Department of Chemistry

Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) Lahore

Submitted by: Mariyam Bashir

Roll no: 231474978

Independent lab report

Experiment: 1
Title of the Experiment: To find the concentration of an unknown sample of
potassium dichromate solution using UV- VISIBLE

1. Introduction:

In biochemistry, ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectrophotometry is frequently used to

identify species and investigate biochemical processes. Because the majority of
biological compounds absorb in the UV-visible range or can be changed into an
absorbent derivative, this technique allows for the detection of substance micromolar
concentrations and has a wide range of applications in this field. On the other hand,
this frequently leads to interferences during the identification of the target compound.
These interferences are reduced by using either differential or, to a lesser extent,
derivative spectrophotometry, particularly when there is strong background
absorption.

2. Apparatus and Chemicals:

Chemicals: potassium dichromate
Water
Apparatus: 50 ml conical flasks (5)
250 ml conical flask (1)
Beakers
Pipette
3. Safety Information:
o Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Always wear appropriate PPE such as
gloves, eye protection (safety glasses or goggles), and a lab coat or apron to
protect your skin and eyes from contact with KMnO4.

o Storage: KMnO4 should be stored in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area

away from other chemicals, acids, and flammable materials.

o Handling: KMnO4 should be handled with care as it is a strong oxidizing

agent that can cause severe burns and damage to the skin and eyes. Always
use proper tools such as tongs, scoops, or pipettes to handle the substance.

o Dilution: When diluting KMnO4, always add the acid or water to the
KMnO4 slowly while stirring. Never add water to KMnO4 as it can cause a
violent reaction.

o Disposal: KMnO4 solutions should be neutralized before disposal to

prevent the formation of dangerous gases. Follow proper disposal
guidelines for hazardous waste.
Experimental Setup:
Wash all the apparatus before use
o Prepare different ppm solutions for potassium dichromate in a 50 ml conical
flask
o From 10 ppm to 50 ppm
o Run it in the UV visible spectrometer b the following procedure
o Go to UV visible software
o Go to setup and add baseline
o Set the wavelength from 200nm-800nm
o Run all the concentrations in the UV starting from the lowest concentration
o Note the readings from the graph that appears
o Fill the cell to the 3/4th and wash every time with the concentration you are using
o At the end run the unknown concentration
o Predict the concentration of the unknown from the graph of concentration
against the absorption

4. Observations and calculations :

1. for 5 ppm:
C1V1 = C2V2
100*V1 = 5*50
V1 = 5*50/100 = 2.5
 2. For 15 ppm

100*V1= 15*50

V1= 15*50/100 = 7.5

3. For 25 ppm

100*V1 = 25*50

V1 = 25*50/100 = 12.5

For 35 ppm

100*V1 = 35*50

V1= 35*50/100 = 17.5

A= 0.0147C

C= A/0.0147

C= 0.426/ 0.0147

Conclusion:
 The concentration of unknown is 28.979 ppm

Possible errors and their mitigation:

o Parallax error
o Syntax error
o Precision and accuracy problem
o Impurities

1. Application of this activity to real-world problem

The Principle of UV-Visible Spectroscopy is based on the absorption of
ultraviolet light or visible light by chemical compounds, which results in the
production of distinct spectra. Spectroscopy is based on the interaction between
light and matter