Plan an experiment to determine the empirical formula of Magnesium

Oxide given the necessary laboratory apparatus.

1. Measure the mass of the crucible with the lid.
2. Clean a piece of magnesium ribbon and put it into the crucible.
3. Measure the mass of the crucible with the lid and the cleaned magnesium ribbon.
4. Calculate the mass of magnesium. (step 3 – step 1)
5. Strongly heat the crucible over a Bunsen burner for several minutes.
6. Carefully lift the lid from time to time to allow sufficient air into the crucible for the
magnesium to fully oxidise without letting any magnesium oxide escape.
7. Measure the mass of the crucible with the lid and the magnesium oxide formed.
8. Calculate the mass of the magnesium oxide. (step 6 – step 1)
9. Workout the mass of oxygen reacted by subtracting the mass of magnesium used from
the mass of the magnesium oxide. (step 7 – step 4)
10. Divide the mass of magnesium (step 4) and the mass of oxygen (step 9) by the relative
atomic masses of the elements and simplify the ratio.