Experiment 2 COUPLED REACTIONS

J.R.A. IBALE
1INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
2UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: November 21, 2012
INSTRUCTORS NAME: Mr. Maro Pea

ABSTRACT

This experiment was executed by effectively combining two reactions in order to induce
spontaneity for one which does not normally proceed forwardcoupled reactions. The experiment
was done in order to observe coupled reactions and calculate the Gibbs free energy of the reaction.
The students used the combustion of magnesium in carbon dioxide in the form of dry ice for the
reaction. The magnesium ribbons were filed beforehand and were weighed. The magnesium
ribbons were ignited on top of a slab of dry ice and were covered upon combustion. The actual
yield of the solid products that the researchers got was 1.68 g of products which had was 52.17%
from the theoretical value of 3.22 g products. The Gibbs free energy had 47.83% error from the
theoretical G = -743.61 kJ. The calculated Gibbs free energy from the experimental value and
was known to be exothermic over-all with G = -750 kJ. From observation, the experiment had to
be provided with much heat before the reaction proceeded. Hence, this reaction is spontaneous at
high temperatures, wherein in this experiment it was assumed that the temperature was at about
900 K.

METHODOLOGY sealant of the over-all reaction. In this

Before the experiment was begun, the
materials, equipment and safety gears were
prepared first. The safety gears included a
face mask to avoid inhalation of harmful
gases, goggles, laboratory gown, and
cryogenic gloves for the handling of the dry
ice. For the equipment and materials, the
dry ice was shaped into the desired set-up
and the magnesium ribbons were weighed.
This experiment was primarily executed
with the help of the dry ice set-up. The set-
up was made up of two slabs of dry ice
wherein one of the slabs was modified to
have a middle hole to serve as the container
of the reaction to be done from which four
canals were also gouged towards the edges
to allow excess gases that form to escape
through, while the other was placed above
the previous one to serve as a cover or
experiment the chemical reaction to be
observed was the reaction between Mg(s)
and CO2(s) with the aid of the
aforementioned set-up. Before the reaction
was initiated, the work place was first
covered with moistened paper sheets to
ensure safety in case some of the
magnesium ribbons escape the set-up while
the reaction was on-going.
When the experiment was begun, the Mg(s),
in the form of metal ribbons, was placed in
the gouged hole on the slab of dry ice (CO2(s))
and was ignited using a butane burner.
Once the Mg(s) began to burn, the reaction
was covered with the other slab of dry ice
and was allowed to proceed. After the
reaction has died down with the hint of the
disappearance of the light which the
reaction produced, the set-up was opened.
Finally, the products of the reaction was
recovered and observed. They were
classified as MgO(s) and C(S). The products

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were then weighed. From the data acquired,
calculations proceeded afterwards and
further observations from the data were
done.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In this experiment, the reaction
2Mg(s) + CO2(g) 2MgO(s) + C(s)
was used to exhibit the validity of the
coupling of reactions in order to come up
with the proceeding of a reaction, which is
plainly inducing spontaneity to a non-
spontaneous reaction by combining it to
another reaction which will provide ample
energy that the non-spontaneous reaction
would need to absorb in order to proceed.
The experiment had a slow start. This is
because the Mg ribbons took some time
before ignition. This is because of the type
of environment where the magnesium was
to be ignited as well as the high heat
capacity of magnesium. Due to latter,
magnesium needs to be provided with
much heat before it can ignite or light up,
but due to the surroundings or basically the
cold atmosphere that the dry ice was
inducing (which also absorbs some of the
heat being provided) the magnesium could
not immediately reach the point which is
favorable to ignition and that is the
accumulation of enough heat. Moreover,
since the CO2 is a heavier gas than oxygen, it
would tend to apprehend the availability of
oxygen for the combustion as well which
further delays the combustion reaction.
After the reaction proceeded, a product
with total mass of 1.68 g was obtained. The
products formed from the reaction were
strips of black and white substances. The
strips had white tips and the middle parts
were black. The white ones were the MgO
while the black were the carbon products.
From observation, it can be seen that the
white part was relatively greater in ratio to
the black part, which also reflects the
balanced equation which shows that MgO is,
theoretically, produced more than the
carbon product.
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Initially, the mass of the Mg used was 1.69
grams. From this data, it was calculated that
the theoretical yield was supposed to be
3.22 grams (approximately). This
theoretical data is already the total mass of
all of the solid products. Experimental-wise,
the products obtained had a mass of 1.68
grams. The total yield was only 52.17%
from the theoretical yield. The experiment
has a 47.83% error.
Approximating from the Ellingham diagram,
the Gibbs free energy was estimated to be
-750 kJ at 900 K. Since G<0, the reaction
is spontaneous at 900 K.
In the procedure, since Mg can react with O2
to form MgO, the Mg ribbon must be filed
before being used. This is to ensure that the
Mg ribbon being used does not include
unnecessary MgO which would contribute
to procedural errors. Otherwise, Mg
weighed isnt completely and solely that of
the Mg alone.
For further accounting of possible
discrepancies, if the Mg ribbon may not
have been filed well, there is a possibility
that the actual weight of the Mg was lesser
and the mass of the products that would
have formed from the supposed reaction
would be actually lesser than what is
obtained. Another would be that due to the
nature of the reaction (violently occurring),
there is a possibility that the Mg or any of
the other products may shoot out of the
chamber and would be unaccounted,
meaning the experimental yield would be
lesser than the actual yield. Another
discrepancy in the process would also be
that during extraction of products was not
efficient such as not having to obtain all or
the converse, meaning the yield would be
lesser or greater, respectively, than the true
yield of the reaction.
Although the reaction in focus was
primaruily only between the Mg and CO2,
there are also side reactions. Given that the
system was uncovered from open
atmosphere, oxygen can also be present.
The introduction of oxygen can cause the
Mg to form MgO through reaction with O2.
The balanced chemical reaction for this side
reaction would be,
2Mg(s) + O2(g) 2MgO(s).
The production of MgO from this side
reaction can add additional MgO mass to
the product meaning the obtained mass in
the reaction is not purely from the reaction
in consideration.
REFERENCES
[1]Academic Group Institute of Chemistry
(June, 2011). General Chemistry II
Laboratory Manual. Institute of Chemistry,
University of the PhilippinesDiliman.
[2]Petrucci,Ralph, Geoffrey Herring, Jeffry
Madura, Carey Bissonnette (2011). General
Chemistry Principles and Modern
Applications. 10th edition. Pearson
Education, Canada, 2011.
[3]Silberberg,
Martin (2007). Principles of
General Chemistry. The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY 10020.
APPENDIX
Appendix 1
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1. Why does it take a long time to light
the Mg ribbons?
This is because of the type of environment
where the magnesium was to be ignited as
well as the high heat capacity of magnesium.
Due to latter, magnesium needs to be
provided with much heat before it can
ignite or light up, but due to the
surroundings or basically the cold
atmosphere that the dry ice was inducing
(which also absorbs some of the heat being
provided) the magnesium could not
immediately reach the point which is
favorable to ignition and that is the
accumulation of enough heat. Moreover,
since the CO2 is a heavier gas than oxygen, it
would tend to apprehend the availability of
oxygen for the combustion as well which
further delays the combustion reaction.
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2. Why is it important to immediately
cover the Mg ribbon with the other slab of
dry ice once it starts burning?
If it is not immediately covered with the
slab of dry ice, the magnesium would
instead react with the atmospheric O2
rather than with CO2 creating more MgO(s)
or the white products formed.
3. Using theoretical G values for the
reactants and products in the system,
calculate the Grxn. Explain experimental
observations based on the calculated Grxn.
Grxn = -
Grxn =(2(-569.0kJ/mol)+0.0kJ/mol)
(2(0.0 kJ/mol) + (-394.39 kJ/mol))
= -743.61 kJ/mol
Since, the Grxn of the reaction is negative it
proceeds forward spontaneously.
4. Give two other reactions that can be
coupled with Mg. show pertinent equations
and Grxn.
2Mg(s) + O2(g) 2MgO(s) G = -1150 kJ
CO2(g) O2(g) + C(s) G = 400 kJ
5. Some of the enzyme-catalyzed
reaction in the body can be interpreted as a
coupled reaction. An example of which is
the hexokinase-catalyzed reaction in
glycolysis wherein ATP is spent in order to
convert glucose (sugar) molecules to
glucose-6-P, a form that can readily enter
the cell:
ATP + H2O ADP + Pi
G = -31 kJ/mol
Pi + glucose glucose-6-P + H2O
G = +14 kJ/mol
Where ATP is adenosine
triphosphate, ADP is adenosine diphosphate
and Pi is inorganic phosphate. From the two
equations given, derive the net reaction
happening in the cell and label which
reactions are endergonic and exergonic.
Calculate G of the net reaction.
The exergonic reaction is:
ATP + H2O ADP + Pi G<0 The net reaction for the process is:
The endergonic reaction is: ATP + glucose ADP + glucose-6-P
Pi + glucose glucose-6-P + H2O G>0. with a free energy of G=-17 kJ/mol.
Appendix 2
CALCULATIONS

Calculation for %error and %yield

%error = x 100%
= x 100%
= 47.83%

%yield = x 100%
= x 100%
= 52.17%
Calculation for Grxn

Grxn = -
= (2(-569.0 kJ/mol) + 0.0 kJ/mol) (2(0.0 kJ/mol) + (-394.39 kJ/mol))
= -743.61 kJ/mol

Calculation for the Total Mass of Solid Products (Theoretical)

( )( )( )

Calculation of G (at T = 1000 K)

2Mg(s) + O2(g) 2MgO(s) G = -1150 kJ

CO2(g) O2(g) + C(s) G = 400 kJ
2Mg(s) + CO2(g) 2MgO(s) + C(s) G = -750 kJ

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