Topic: Stoichiometry

Lab: Copper for Profit

Intro: Teacher Bardessono has just run out of money for new pencils. In order to raise more money,
we need to make some copper (Cu). Copper can be sold at a high price right now, since it is used in
computers and most other electronics.

Goal of Lab: Make 1.25 grams of copper to help supply your classroom with enough pencils!
1. How much copper did you make? What was the % error?
Error: 5.6 % We made 1.18 g of copper.
2. Was it enough copper to buy all the pencils? (less than 10% error)
yes

Materials:
1. 400-mL beaker 6. Wash Bottle
2. Graduated Cylinder 7. Tongs (Forecepts)
3. Bunsen Burner + Wire Mesh + Stand + Clamp 8. Funnel
4. Stirring Rod 9. Salt (NaCl)
5. Plastic 50-mL beaker with your group number on it

Pre-Lab: In your lab notebook, do the following:

1. Balance this equation: Al + CuSO4 → Al2(SO4)3 + Cu
2. Calculate the mass of Aluminum (Al) you will need to get 1.25 grams of Copper (Cu). This is another
stoichiometry calculation.
Instructions
1. Make sure you have finished the Pre-Lab work before starting the lab experiment!
2. Wash and thoroughly dry a 400-mL beaker.
3. Mass out approximately 6.0 grams of copper sulfate(CuSO4)
4. Put your CuSO4 into the 400 mL beaker. Measure 100.0 mL of tap water and add to the copper sulfate crystals.
5. You may gently stir and heat the solution using your bunsen burner to dissolve the crystals. When crystals
dissolve, remove the beaker from heat. DO NOT ALLOW THE MIXTURE TO BOIL!!
6. Using the electronic balance, mass the amount of Aluminum you calculated in the pre-lab. DO NOT CRUMPLE
THE Al.
7. Tear the Al into small pieces and add the Al to the copper sulfate solution. Stir for 30 seconds. Add
a pinch of NaCl to the solution. The NaCl makes the reaction go faster. Keep stirring until ALL the
aluminum has reacted. Allow the solid copper to settle to the bottom.
8. Decant (carefully pour out the liquid, but keep the copper) the liquid into the sink. Try not to disturb
the solid copper at the bottom of the beaker.
9. Add 20 mL of tap water to the solid copper. Swirl the copper to wash the Al2(SO4)3 off of it. Decant
the liquid and repeat step 9
10. Meanwhile, obtain a piece of filter paper, write your name and period in ink on the paper. Find the
mass of filter paper, record the mass in the data table. Fold in quarters, insert in a funnel. (see diagram).
11. Add another 20 mL of water to your beaker. Swirl the beaker to mix and then slowly pour solid and water into the
filter paper/funnel apparatus. Place a small beaker under the funnel to catch the water. If all the solid does not
pour out of the beaker, use a wash bottle or stirring rod to scrape out all of the copper into the filter paper. Add a
little water to the 400 mL beaker and flush out the solids and pour through filter paper again.
12. Carefully take the filter paper out of the funnel, put it in a plastic 50-mL beaker that matches your group number.
Put the plastic beaker on the tray marked with your period number.
Topic: Stoichiometry
13. All leftover liquid may go down the drain. Put equipment away, wipe down counters and wash hands.
14. After the solid is dry (next week), find the mass of the filter paper and solid. Record in data table.
Topic: Stoichiometry
Lab Report Example

Claim:
(Your response to the goal(s) of lab goes here)

Pre-Lab Work:
2_ Al + 3_ CuSO4 → _ Al2(SO4)3 + _3 Cu

Aluminum mass = __0.35___ g

Evidence:
Material Mass( Grams)

Filter Paper 0.97g

Filter paper and copper (Cu) 2.26g

Copper (Cu) 1.18

Reasoning:
1. Calculate the mass of the copper you made and record the amount of copper you made in your
data table.

2. Now calculate your percent error using this formula. You want a small % error.

0.07 x 100 = % err

Amount you want (1.25 g)

3. Make your claim.

We made 5.6% error we made enough.