Done by: Vidisha Singhal Dated: September 2, 2018

Chemistry – Stoichiometry
Lab to Find Empirical Formula of Magnesium Oxide

Background Information:
Empirical formula of a compound is the ratio between the number of atoms of each element
that it is made of. It gives the lowest whole number ratio of the atoms present in a compound.1
However, it does not show the actual number of atoms of an element present in the
compound. In this experiment, we are trying to find the empirical

Research Question:
Determine the empirical formula of the compound of the metal oxide - Magnesium Oxide
formed when Magnesium reacts with Oxygen in excess.

Hypothesis:
The empirical formula of the compound Magnesium Oxide should be MgO.

The reason for this is that the ratio of the elements present in the compound is 1:1. This is
because magnesium ions have an oxidation state of +2 and oxygen ions have an oxidation state
of -2. So, the following reaction should take between the two elements:

Mg2+ + O2-  MgO

Since there is only one atom of both the elements in the compound, the ratio can be
hypothesized to be 1:1.

Data Table:
Weight of the Mg with the Time Taken MgO + Mg3N2 with Mgo
Crucible with the crucible with lid the crucible and crucib
lid (g) (g) lid (g)
Trial 1 41.720 0.2
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average of all trials

1 Source: “Lab 2 - Determination of the Empirical Formula of Magnesium Oxide.” Speed of Sound - Resonance Tube,
www.webassign.net/question_assets/ucscgencheml1/lab_2/manual.html.
Done by: Vidisha Singhal Dated: September 2, 2018