PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 1: COMMON LABORATORY PROCEDURES

I. OBJECTIVES
- To be able to identify some of the common laboratory procedures and its techniques.
- To be able to determine the possible outcomes out of those common laboratory
procedures

II. THEORY ABOUT THE EXPERIMENT

There are various common laboratory procedures one must familiarize to be

efficient in doing laboratory experiments. Some of these procedures are precipitation,
decantation, filtration, centrifugation, evaporation, calibration, and drop reaction, which
are emphasized in this experiment. First, precipitation which is the method of turning a
solution into a solid by changing the component into an insoluble form or by making it
a supersaturating the solution (Sharma, Kumar, Sharma, & al, 2019). Decantation, on the
other hand, is the process of separating liquid from solid by pouring out the liquid
without disturbing the solid settled at the bottom (Silliman University, 2020).

Another procedure is filtration, it is the process or technique of separating the solid

from the liquid with the use of filtering paper (Silliman University, 2020). Fourthly,
centrifugation, a technique for separating molecules with various densities by rapidly
spinning them in solution around an axis (Stephenson, 2016). Fifth, evaporation, the
process by which substances spontaneously change from the liquid to gas phase
(Helmenstine, 2019). When the solvent in the solution evaporates and the solute
concentration exceeds saturation point, crystallization takes place (Paterson, 2018).
Another procedure is calibrating which is the act of ensuring that a scientific method or
equipment produces correct findings (A-Level Chemistry , 2013). And lastly is the drop
reaction which in this experiment revolves between copper chloride and sodium
carbonate. And according to Anna Kim, it would result to a light blue precipitate (Kim,
2019).

III. FLOWCHART OF THE PROCEDURE

1. PRECIPITATION
Place 3 mL of sodium sulfate
Allow the precipitated
solution in a test tube and Describe the
barium sulfate to
add 2 mL of barium chloride result.
settle down.
slowly.

The precipitation is
Add a few more Repeat until no Keep the
not compete if more
drops of barium more precipitate is mixture for part
barium sulfate is
chloride solution. formed. II
formed.

2. FILTRATION
 Transfer the Set aside the
Set up the apparatus precipitate from part precipitate for part
for filtration one to the filter paper three and the filtrate
in the funnel for part 5

3. DECANTATION

Transfer the board of the clear

Let the mixture stand
precipitate from Part liquid and live the
until all solids have
2 by washing it with precipitate in the
settled at the bottom
10 mil distilled water original container

4. CENTRIFUGATION

Add 10ML of distilled Allow the precipitate

water to the beaker transfer the mixture to settle at the
with the precipitate in a clean test tube bottom of the test
from Part 3 tube

Place the test tube Follow the proper

with a mixture in the way of using a
centrifuge centrifuge

5. EVAPORATION

Transfer the filtrate

Heat the dish through Do not heat to
from Part 2 to an
bunsen burner complete dryness
evaporating dish

Discontinue heating
when the dish has only
a small amount of
liquid left

6. DROP REACTION

Put a drop of sodium Add a drop of copper Mix the solutions by

carbonate solution (II) chloride solution shaking the watch Observe
on a watch glass directly glass gently

7. CALIBRATING A TEST TUBE

 Pour 1 mL of water into Mark the level using a Use a small test for
the test tube with the use masking tape or label and volume readings from 1 to
of burette or pipette write the volume reading 10 mL

Whenever a volume of
Add liquid until the level
liquid is to be measured
coincide with the required
into test tube, place it
volume reading in the
alongside the calibrated
calibrated test tube
test tube

IV. RESULTS

Common Laboratory
Observation and Results
Operations
When sodium sulfate and barium chloride combined, a
I. Precipitation
white precipitate formed.
The white precipitate was filtered and left in the filter paper
II. Filtration while the whitish liquid passes through it and settled in the
Erlenmeyer flask.
By washing off the filter paper with distilled water, the
precipitate was transferred to another container. The solid
III. Decantation settled immediately at the bottom of the container.
Although, the clear liquid was poured out, there are still
small amount of liquid left in the mixture with the solid.
The centrifuge made the mixture separate the liquid and
the solid completely. The solid settled down in the bottom
IV. Centrifugation
of the test tube. On the other hand, the liquid was clear and
pure like its original composition.
As the sample was heated with a low flame, white solid
substances like crystals started to form. The substances
V. Evaporation
were thin, frangible, and light. It can easily be carried by the
air.
When sodium carbonate and copper (II) chloride solution
VI. Drop Reaction
are combined, it displayed a light blue green color.
In calibrating a test tube, it was observed and determined
VII. Calibration of a Test
the mass of liquid that the test tube can accommodate for
Tube
experiments. It can at least hold 10 mL of liquid.

V. CONCLUSION

Students were able to acquaint themselves with standard laboratory procedures and proper
techniques in a laboratory, like precipitating, filtrating, decanting, evaporating and calibrating.
Through this activity, students have concluded the importance of understanding and
familiarizing themselves with common laboratory procedures for achieving fruitful and thriving
laboratory experiments in the future.

- To be able to identify some of the common laboratory procedures and its techniques.
 - To be able to determine the possible outcomes out of those common laboratory
procedures

Some of the common laboratory procedures are precipitation, decantation, filtration,

centrifugation, evaporation, calibration, and drop reaction. Precipitation happens when
solution turns to solid. Decantation is manually separating the liquid from the solid through
pouring it out and filtration is basically filtering the solid with the use of filter paper.
Centrifugation separates the solution through separating the molecules itself with the
centrifuge allowing the substances in the solution be separated completely. Another procedure
is evaporation which involves heat that changes the liquid to its gaseous state, and sometimes
resulting to crystallization. And the last two is calibration, which is the act of ensuring the
equipment/tools accuracy in data production and drop reaction between two particular
chemicals.

VI. REFERENCES

A-Level Chemistry . (2013). Calibration. Retrieved from A-Level Chemistry :

https://alevelchemistry.co.uk/definition/calibration/#:~:text=What%20is%20calibration
%3F,measured%20values%20and%20analytical%20quantities.

Helmenstine, A. M. (2019, July 3). Evaporation Definition in Chemistry. Retrieved from

ThoughtCo: https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-evaporation-604460

Kim, A. (2019, July 20). What happens when copper II chloride reacts with sodium carbonate?
Retrieved from Theburningofrome.com.

Paterson, D. (2018, May 23). How to teach evaporation, filtration and crystallisation. Retrieved
from Royal Scoety of Chemistry: https://edu.rsc.org/cpd/evaporation-filtration-and-
crystallisation/3009017.article

Sharma, G., Kumar, A., Sharma, S., & al, e. (2019, April). Novel development of nanoparticles to
bimetallic nanoparticles and their composites: A review. Retrieved from ScienceDirect:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1018364717303518

Silliman University. (2020). Common Laboratory Operations and Techniques. Retrieved from
StuDocu: https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/silliman-university/medical-
technology/common-laboratory-operations-and-techniques/9149916

Stephenson, F. H. (2016). Calculations in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Third Edition.

Elsevier Inc.