2 Gram Lab | Teen Ink

2 Gram Lab

January 14, 2011
By Zachary Nold SILVER, Hartland, Wisconsin
Zachary Nold SILVER, Hartland, Wisconsin
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Purpose: To produce exactly 2.00 grams of barium carbonate (solid) by means of a double replacement reaction.

Background:Throughout this lab many dangerous chemicals were used, all of which needed to be handled with caution. As for the reactants barium nitrate is a strong oxidizer and extremely flammable. Proper eye protection was required because it can cause you to go blind if it gets in your eyes.Potassium carbonate isn’t as harmful as barium nitrate, and just couldn’t be consumed, inhaled, or put in eyes.
For the products extreme caution had to be used with barium carbonate, because it can be fatal if swallowed. It is also harmful if inhaled and may cause irritation to eyes and skin. Potassium nitrate is flammable and may irritate eyes, skin, and respiratory tract.It was made sure that neither chemical came into contact with skin. Al chemicals stayed in glass beakers for the duration of the experiment.



It is recommended that both of the products be sent to an RCRA approved waste facility. The glass containers were simply poured empty and washed out with water and soap.

1Ba (NO3)2 +1K2 CO3?1Ba CO3 + 2KNO3
1 mole BaCO3 = X=.010134 moles BaCO3
197.34 g




2.00g

1 moleBa(NO3)2=.010134 moles
261.3404 g

X=1.2567g
1 mole K2CO3 = .010134 moles
138.204g


X=1.4006

Hypothesis: If 2.65 grams of barium nitrate is combined with 1.4 grams of potassium carbonate then the product will include 2.00 grams of barium carbonate, because during the double reaction barium will combine with carbonate.

Materials:
1 filter paper, 2 medium glass beakers, graduated cylinder, scale, funnel, scoopula, barium nitrate, potassium carbonate, and paper towel










Procedure:
1.
Pour 2.65g of barium nitrate and 1.4g of potassium carbonate into separate beakers.
2.
Pour 40ml of distilled water into each beaker and stir until dissolved.
3.
Weigh filter paper
4.
Combine ingredients into one beaker
5.
Immediately pour into funnel with filter paper into Erlenmeyer flask.
6.
Allow funnel to empty
7.
Wait for the solid to completely dry
8.
Weigh the dried solid and subtract the mass of the filter paper.
9.
Record observations















Data:
Chemical
Initial mass
Final mass
Ba (NO3)2
2.65g
----------------
K2 CO3
1.40g
-----------------
Ba CO3
-------------
1.81g
KNO3
-------------
2.24g

Mass of filter paper= .66g

Percent error=
1.81-2/2= .095
.095 x 100= 9.5% error
Observations:
Each chemical when added to water dissolved quite nicely, and tinted the liquid white. Once the chemicals were combined they turned into a thick pasty liquid. The pasty solid fell to the bottom as the water and other chemicals moved to the top. The solid took a long time to filter all the way and completely dry.




Conclusion:


This lab teaches how by combining two specific amounts of chemicals one can produce an exact amount of a different chemical. The goal was to create 2.00 grams of barium carbonate from barium nitrate and potassium carbonate. The final mass produced from the experiment was 1.81 grams, .19 grams of the target. The final mass was 9.5% off the goal, which is close but not exact. It is believed that sources of error could have occurred when measuring and filtering the chemicals. Some of the solid may have stuck to the beaker or funnel and affected the final mass. This could be avoided by using a more exact scale and more efficient transferring of the compounds.


This lab relates to the real world through cooking. In recipes multiple ingredients are added in specific amounts to create on product. For instance when baking a cake if one adds too much flour or sugar the end result won’t be a perfect cake. If the wrong amounts of barium nitrate and potassium carbonate were used nearly 2 grams of barium carbonate wouldn’t of been the product.



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