Laboratory Experiment No.

10
Unknown Compound using Gravimetric Analysis.
Learning Objectives:
 Explain the relationship between mass, molecular weight, and numbers of atoms or molecules.
 Perform conversion between moles and molarity.
 Define theoretical, experimental, and percentage yield.

Materials:
 Lab Coat  Stirring Magnet
 Safety Goggles In-house Vacuum
 Gloves  Rubber Cone
 Analytical Balance  Conical Flask 500 mL
 Weighing Dish  Büchner Funnel
 Spatula  Vacuum Tube
 Beaker  Vacuum Valve
 Conical Flask 250 mL  Watch Glass
 Heating Plate  Filter Papers
 Measuring Cylinder  Oven
 Demineralized H2O

Data Presentation:
The simulation will be taught you about the relationship between mass, molecular weight and the number of atoms or
molecules and will make you understand the magnitude and importance of Avogadro’s number. In order to identify a
compound where the label has been partly destroyed, you must apply the technique of gravimetric analysis.

Gravimetric Analysis
 A technique to determine the amount of an analyte based on mass. A common example of a gravimetric analysis
is to determine the amount of chloride.
Alkaline Earth Metals
 is the element of the main group 2 of the periodic table. The constituents of the group are Beryllium (Be),
Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra).
 Common for the elements of this group is that they are metals in their pure form, with low densities and low
melting and boiling points. They all react with halides to form metal halides.

This is the balance form of the unlabeled compound that we will react with a solution of silver nitrate (AgNO 3).
XCl 2 ( aq )+ 2 AgNO3 ( aq ) → X ( NO3 )2 ( aq )+2 AgCl( s)
Procedures:
 In identifying the compound, you must prepare the equipment needed.
 Tare the weighing dish then add 3 grams of unlabeled chemical (XCl 2) by using a spatula.
 Put the exact amount on the screen which is 3.0456 g.
 Place the 250 mL conical flask on the heating plate and put the weighed amount of unlabeled chemicals.
 Using the 100mL graduated or measuring cylinder, transfer 50 mL of demineralized water and put it to the conical
flask. We use demineralized water because it doesn’t contain minerals.
 Place the magnet stirrer in the flask.
 Transfer 100mL silver nitrate to the cylinder and put it to the conical flask.
 The solution went from clear to opaque which means that something has precipitated and that is the silver chloride,
the product.

Suction Filtration:
 Place a rubber cone in the mouth of the suction flask.
 Place the Büchner funnel in the rubber cone.
 Place a filter paper inside the Büchner funnel.
 Turn on the vacuum.
 Pour a little of the solvent onto the filter to make it stick to the funnel.
 Pour the mixture to be filtered into the funnel.
 After all the liquid has been sucked through, wash the filter cake with a little solvent.
In order for the gravimetric analysis to be valid, we want all of the chloride ions to precipitate, and we can assure that be
ensuring silver ions are in excess. Adding more silver ions we can be sure that all of the chloride ions have reacted.
Looking at the balanced chemical equation, one mole of XCl 2 reacts with 2 moles of AgNO 3, so you should have twice as
many molecules of AgNO3. We should have 0.100 mol of AgNO3 to be sure that we have an excess.

Molarity (g/mol), Mass (grams), and Moles (n) Conversion

M = molecular weight (unit: g/mol)
m = mass (unit: g )
n = number of moles (unit: mol)
Avogadro’s number = 6.022 x 1023

Figure 1. Mass, Moles, Molarity, and Avogadro’s Constant Conversion

Theoretical, Experimental and Percentage Yield
The theoretical yield of a reaction is the amount of product you would get if you used up all of the limiting reagent, and
if there is no loss. The experimental yield is the actual amount of product you obtain when performing a given
experiment. The percentage yield is a calculation of how large a percentage of the theoretical yield you obtained in each
experiment. We now classified that the unknown or unlabeled chemicals is a magnesium chloride (MgCl 2), yet the mass
of the product that was obtained is less than the theoretical yield, but not that much. Having all the values and amounts
we needed, we can now calculate the percentage yield of the reaction which is experimental yield divided by the
theoretical yield times 100%. Presented below are the amounts calculated:

LAB JOURNAL
MAIN X=Be X=Mg X=Ca
XCl 2 ( aq )+ 2 AgNO3 ( aq ) → X ( NO3 )2 ( aq )+2 AgCl( s)
m (g)= 3.0456 8.5341
Compound is: MgCl2

Percentage Yield: Y = ( experimental yield

theoretical yield )
x 100 % = 93.075

LAB JOURNAL
MAIN X=Be X=Mg X=Ca
Be Cl2 ( aq ) +2 AgNO 3 ( aq ) → Be ( NO3 )2 ( aq )+2 AgCl( s)
m (g)= M x n 3.0456 10.951
MW (g/mol) = 79.718 143.32
n (mol) =m/M 0.038 0.076 0.076

LAB JOURNAL
MAIN X=Be X=Mg X=Ca
Mg Cl 2 ( aq ) +2 AgNO3 ( aq ) → Mg ( NO 3 )2 ( aq ) +2 AgCl(s)
m (g)= M x n 3.0456 9.169
MW (g/mol) = 92.211 143.32
n (mol) =m/M 0.032 0.064 0.064

LAB JOURNAL
MAIN X=Be X=Mg X=Ca
CaCl 2 ( aq ) +2 AgNO 3 ( aq ) → Ca ( NO 3 )2 ( aq ) +2 AgCl (s )
m (g)= M x n 3.0456 7.866
MW (g/mol) = 110.98 143.32
n (mol) =m/M 0.027 0.055 0.055