EXPERIMENT NO.

4
DETERMINATION OF CHEMICAL FORMULAS OF COMPOUNDS

I. OBJECTIVES

1. To become familiar with chemical formulas of compounds.

2. To determine quantitatively the empirical formula of compound.
3. To apply the mole concept to determine chemical formula from the masses of each element
in a given quantity of a compound.

II. DISCUSSION

Many elements are found in nature in molecular form; that is, two or more of the same
type of atom are bound together. For example, the oxygen normally found in air consists of
molecules that contain two oxygen atoms. We represent this molecular form of oxygen by the
chemical formula O2. The subscript in the formula tell us that two oxygen atoms are present in
each molecule.
Chemical formulas that indicate the actual numbers and types of atoms in a molecule
are called molecular formulas. Chemical formulas that give only the relative number of atoms
of each in a molecule are called empirical formulas. The subscript in an empirical formula are
always the smaller possible whole number ratios. For many substances, the molecular formula
and the empirical formula are identical as in the case of water.
Molecular formulas provide greater information about molecules than empirical formulas.

III. MATERIALS/APPARATUS

Granular zinc Iron ring

6 M HCl Iron stand
Electric balance Wire gauze
Evaporating dish Tripod
Bunsen burner Pipette
Spatula Steam bath

IV. IV. PROCEDURES

1. Heat for about 5 minutes a clean and dry evaporating dish with a bunsen burner gently
at first, and then more strongly, until all of the condensed moisture has been driven off.

2. Allow the dish to cool to room temperature on a wire gauze, then weigh. Record the mass
of the empty evaporating dish to the nearest 0.01 g.

3. Add about 0.5 g of granular zinc to the weighed evaporating dish, then weigh again to the
nearest 0.01 g. Calculate the mass of zinc.

4. Slowly, and with constant stirring, add 15 mL of 6 M HCl to the evaporating dish containing
the zinc. (Caution: No flames are permitted in the laboratory while this reaction is taking
place.) If any undissolved zinc remains after this reaction ceases, add an additional 5mL of
 6M HCl. Continue to add 5 mL of acid until all the zinc had dissolved. CAUTION: Zinc
chloride is caustic and must be handled carefully in order to avoid contact with the skin.
Should you come in contact with it, immediately wash the area with enough water.

5. Heat the evaporating dish carefully on the steam bath until most of the liquid has disappeared.

6. Remove the steam bath and heat the dish over the wire gauze. The flame must be carefully
controlled to avoid spattering and some loss of product. Leave the compound looking
somewhat pasty while hot.

7. Allow the dish to cool to room temperature and weigh. After the first weighing, heat the dish
again very gently, cool and reweigh. Subsequent weighing must agree up to the the 0.02 g,
repeat the heating and weighing until the successive weighing agrees. Record the mass of
zinc chloride.

8. Calculate the empirical formula for zinc chloride from this information.
 V. DATA AND RESULTS, CONCLUSION

EXPERIMENT NO. 4
DETERMINATION OF CHEMICAL FORMULAS OF COMPOUNDS

Name: ____________________________________________ Group No:_______________

Course/Section: _______________________________ Date: ________________________

Mass of evaporating dish __________________ g

Mass of evaporating dish and zinc __________________ g

Mass of zinc __________________ g

Mass of evaporating dish and zinc chloride

First weighing __________________ g

Second weighing __________________ g

Third weighing __________________ g

Mass of zinc chloride __________________ g

Mass of chlorine in zinc chloride __________________ g

Empirical formula for zinc chloride __________________

Calculations:

Conclusion:

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VI. QUESTIONS/PROBLEMS

1. How do empirical formulas and molecular formulas differ?

2. Can you determine the molecular formula of a substance from its percent
composition?

3. A compound contains 31.29% calcium, 18.75% carbon and 49.96% oxygen. What is
the empirical formula of the compound.

4. The empirical formula of a compound is either C6H6O or C6H6O2. If the compound is

65.4% carbon, which of the two formulas is correct.