Student Example Lab Report

Title:

Intermolecular Strengths of Substances

Objective(s):

 To compare the boiling points of three substances

 To infer relative intermolecular strengths of substances using their boiling points

Hypothesis:

I predict that vinegar has stronger intermolecular forces and, therefore, a higher boiling point,
compared to apple juice.

Procedure:

Materials: (List all the items used)

 Two safe substances to boil (apple juice, orange juice, milk, vinegar, cooking wine,
saltwater)
 Heat source (stove or hot plate)
 Measuring cup
 Thermometer
 Container for heating (pot or beaker)

Variables: (List the controlled, independent, and dependent variables of the lab. Include
only if the lab has variables)

1. The controlled variables are the heat source, thermometer, container type, volume of
liquid, and the boiling point of water (100 ℃ or 212 ℉).
2. The independent variable (the variable we are changing) is the type of liquid heated.
3. The dependent variable (the variable that changes due to the independent variable) is
the boiling point of each liquid.

Summary of Steps:

1. Select two safe substances to boil. Make sure to list the units used to measure your
substance when recording your volumes in the data chart.
 2. Measure ½ to a full cup of your first substance and pour it into your heating
container.
3. Submerge the tip of your thermometer into your substance and record the starting
temperature in the temperature data chart.
4. Set your heat source to low or medium.
5. Place your heating container on the heat source.
6. Record the temperature of your substance at set time intervals. Suggested intervals for
measurement are every two to four minutes, depending on the setting of your heat
source.
7. Record these values in the data table.
8. Once your substance has reached a boil (large bubbles breaking at the surface of the
liquid), take two additional temperature measurements before removing it from the
heat.
9. Record the volume and boiling point of your substance in the boiling point data chart.
10. Repeat the procedures for a total of three times for each substance. Be sure to create a
new temperature data chart for each trail.

Data:

Temperatures Data

Note: for the purposes of this example, the values listed below are fictitious and should not
be considered accurate. They are used to show example formatting of data values only.

Trial 1  Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 min 4 min 6 min 8 min 12 14 16 18 min
10
min min min
min

Substance 1  75 ℉  80 ℉  83 ℉  87 ℉  90 ℉  95 ℉  107  118  118
℉ ℉ ℉
Vinegar
Substance 2  80 ℉  87 ℉  93 ℉  105  120  130  145  160  160
℉ ℉ ℉ ℉ ℉ ℉
Apple Juice

Trial 2 Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 min 4 min 6 min 8 min 12 14 16 18 min
 min min min
10
min

Substance 1  75 ℉  82 ℉  83 ℉  89 ℉  95 ℉  99 ℉  118  118  125
℉ ℉ ℉
Vinegar
Substance 2  80 ℉  83 ℉  90 ℉  105  115  125  130  160  160
℉ ℉ ℉ ℉ ℉ ℉
Apple Juice

Trial 3 Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 min 4 min 6 min 8 min 10 12 14 16 18 min
min min min
min

Substance 1  75 ℉  80 ℉  83 ℉  87 ℉  90 ℉  95 ℉  107  118  118
℉ ℉ ℉
Vinegar
Substance 2  80 ℉  87 ℉  93 ℉  105  120  130  145  160  160
℉ ℉ ℉ ℉ ℉ ℉
Apple Juice

Boiling Point Data

Part I: Boiling Point of Vinegar

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Volume of liquid (unit of measurement?)  1 cup  ½ cup  ½ cup

Boiling point of substance (Fahrenheit or Celsius?)  118 ℉  118 ℉  118 ℉

Part II: Boiling Point of Apple Juice

Volume of liquid (unit of measurement?)  1 cup  ½ cup  ½ cup

Boiling point of substance (Fahrenheit or Celsius?)  160 ℉  160 ℉  160 ℉

Conclusion: (The conclusion section should include data from the lab to support your
conclusion. It should also be written in paragraph form.)

For this lab, I predicted that vinegar would have stronger intermolecular forces and a higher
boiling point compared to apple juice. The data failed to support my hypothesis. Apple juice had
the higher boiling point at 160 ℉, compared to vinegar at 188 ℉; therefore, it has stronger
intermolecular forces between its molecules. These boiling points are less than that of water.
Substances with stronger attractions between molecules will need more heat to overcome these
attractive forces and cause the liquid to boil. To further investigate this phenomenon, more
substances could be heated to compare their boiling points to those of vinegar and apple juice to
make more inferences regarding intermolecular forces.

Reflection Questions:

See the example question and answer.

1. How does completing multiple trials of this experiment help with the precision of the
results? Explain your answers completely.

Precision refers to the consistency of a set of measurements made of the same quantity in
the same way. In this experiment, I measured the boiling point of a liquid during multiple
trials using the same thermometer, using the same units, under the same conditions.