Density Lab

STEM Chemistry 5th Hour Stephanie Campbell Peter Jonsson

Purpose: To identify various metals using the density formula of D=m/v.

Hypothesis: We predict that from left to right the metals will be aluminum, copper, and lead.

Materials: 9 metal samples (3 of each) H20 100mL graduated cylinder electronic scale calculators

Procedure: 1. Obtain a 100mL graduated cylinder. 2. Fill graduated cylinder with 50mL of water. 3. Obtain one sample of each different metal. 4. Weight the metal sample on the electronic scale and record on the data table. 5. Place the metal sample in the graduated cylinder and record in the data table. 6. Take the difference of final and initial volumes. 7. Repeat steps of 3 through 5 with the two other metal samples. 8. Record all data into a data table. 9. Calculate the density of each different metal. 10. Find the mean of the three similar metals. 11. Compare each average to the accepted value to determine the kind of metal. 12. Calculate the error and percent error.

Accepted Density: Aluminum - 2.70g/mL Copper - 8.96g/mL Lead - 11.35g/mL Sample 1 Trial 1 2 43.9 60.1 16.2 44.7 2.76 .06 3 49.0 73.1 24.1 67.7 2.81 .11 Sample 2 1 49.5 60.1 10.6 2 50.0 60.0 10.0 3 42.9 52.0 9.1 Sample 3 1 49.4 60.0 10.6 2 47.0 54.0 7.0 63.9 9.1 .14 3 45.5 52.9 7.4 64.0 8.6 -.36

Initial Volume (mL) 49.5 Final Volume (mL) Volume of Metal (mL) Mass of Metal (g) Density of Metal (g/mL) Error Percent Error 69.2 20.3 53.3 2.63 -.07

120.5 120.2 108.6 91.9 11.4 -.05 12.0 -.65 5.7% 11.9 -.55 4.8% 11.8 Lead 8.7 -.26

2.6% 2.2% 4.1% .4% 2.73

2.9% 1.6% 4.0% 8.8 Copper

Average Density (g/mL) Metals Identity

Aluminum

Graph:

Analysis: Each of the metals for sample 1 had volumes of 20.3mL, 16.2mL, and 24.1mL. The masses where 53.3g, 44.7g, and 67.7g. The densities were calculated to be 2.63g/ml, 2.76g/ml, and 2.81g/ml. The average densities than could be calculated to 2.73g/mL. This means compared to the accepted densities the percent error was 2.6%, 2.2%, and 4.1%. Each of the metals for sample 2 had 60.1mL, 60.0mL, and 52.0mL. The masses where 120.5g, 120.2g, and 108.6g. The densities were calculated to be 11.4g/ml, 12.0g/ml, and 11.9g/ml. The average densities than could be calculated to 11.8g/mL. This means compared to the accepted densities the percent error was .4%, 5.7%, and 4.8%. Each of the metals for sample 3 had 60.0 mL, 54.0mL, and 52.9mL. The masses were 91.9g, 63.9g, and 64.0g. The densities were calculated to be 8.7g/ml, 9.1g/ml, and 8.6g/ml. The average densities than could be calculated to 8.8g/mL. This means compared to the accepted densities the percent error was 2.9%, 1.6%, and 4.0%.

Conclusion: The purpose of this lab was to identify the different samples of metals based on their densities. The hypothesis for this lab was our prediction of what the metal samples would be. We predict that from left to right the metals will be aluminum, copper, and lead. Based on the results produced from the lab and as seen in the table above, the prediction was correct. We used three sample metals and plotted them on a graph for each metal. Then we plotted a least-square regression line, the slope of the line represents the density of the metal by using the three samples and a known point of zero grams and zero mL has a density of zero. The x-axis is volume in milliliters and the y-axis is mass in grams. The slope of the line represents the density of 2.7385 g/mL for aluminum, 11.748 g/mL for lead, and 8.7865 g/mL for copper. The accepted densities for aluminum, copper, and lead was 2.70g/mL, 8.96g/mL, and 11.35g/mL respectively. The average densities found for each of the same metals was 2.73g/mL for aluminum, 8.8g/mL for copper, and 11.8g/mL for the lead. When comparing the accepted densities and the average densities found we can see that each of the densities is only a few decimals off. Based on the data collected and the accepted density we were able to find the error that occurred ranged from -.65 to .14 with the equation error = experimental value - accepted value. The percent error could then be calculated using the error in the equation, % error = l error l / accepted value X 100. The percent errors ranged from .4% to 5.6%, and the average percent error was 3.7%. This means that our data was an average of 3.7% away from the accepted answer. Some of these errors could have been when filling the graduated cylinder we didnt measure exactly to 50 mL, but varying volumes around 49 mL. If we were to do this lab again we would have been more exact in filling the graduated cylinder as well as reading the measurements.