EXPERIMENT 2

LAW OF DEFINITE COMPOSITION

Section: JBcd Date Started:

November ,2010

Group Number: 4 Date Finished:

November ,2010

Group Members: Date

Submitted:November ,2010

Gonzales, Genevieve Rio N.

Cudia, John Eric M.

Calisin, Cherie Anne M.

Bais, Elona May

• Carlos, Fenina

Objectives:

To know the concept of limiting reagents and the stoichiometry of

chemical changes which are made use in deducing the empirical formula
of an ionic compound.

Apparatus and Materials:

Five 10 ml test tubes (equal diameter)

Medicine dropper

Wash bottle

Reagents:

0.25 M A CuSO4

1.0 M B Pb(NO3)2

Procedure:

Measure 1 ml of Reagent B Shake each test tube well

into each tes tube and and wash down precipitate
number A1 to A5. with distilled water.
 Add Reagent A into each
test tube increasing 2ml.
•

• Data and Results:

Concentration of Solution A: Concentration of
Solution B:

1 2 3 4 5
Volume A 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0
(ml) CuSO4
Volume B 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
(ml)
Pb(NO3)2
mmol A 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

mmol B 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

Height ppt
(mm)
Stoichiomet
ric point Test Tube 2

Chemical
formula ppt

Limiting Pb(NO3)2 -- CuSO4 CuSO 4 CuSO4

reagent
Excess CuSO4 -- Pb(NO3)2 Pb(NO3)2 Pb(NO3)2
reagent
mmol
limiting
reagent

mmol
precipitate
mmol 0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5
excess
reagent
(how much
in excess)

Calculations:
 Measure the height (in mm) of the precipitate several times around the test
tube and average these. Do the same for all the test tubes.

Graph: Plot the height of the precipitate (y-axis) against the volume of the
reagent. Determine the stoichiometric ratio.

(see graphing paper)

• Questions:

● From the results, would you consider the law of definite composition to
be valid? Explain briefly.

● Write the chemical equations involved showing the correct mole

relationship between the reactants.

CuSO4 + Pb(NO3)2 -------------> PbSO4 + Cu(NO3)2

● If solution A used was 0.125 M instead of 0.25 M and the solution B, 1 M,

in what test tube would the stoichiometric endpoint be expected?

The stoichiometric endpoint is expected at test tube A4.

(see next page for further explanation)

● A compound of the element A and oxygen of has a mole ratio A:O =2:3. If
8.0 grams of the oxide contains 2.4 grams of the oxygen,

● What is the atomic weight of A?

● What is the weight of one mole of the oxide?

● What theoretical weight of the oxide is formed when 28 grams of A is

heated in excess oxygen? What is the % yield, if 38 grams of the
oxide was produced?

(see next page for further explanation)

● The stimulant in coffee and tea is caffeine, a substance of molar mass

194 g/mol. When 0.376 g of caffeine was burned, 0.682 g of carbon
dioxide, 0.174 g of water and 0.110 g of nitrogen were formed.
Determine the empirical and molecular formulas of caffeine.
 (see next page)

Generalizations:

Answers to Questions:

● If solution A used was 0.125 M instead of 0.25 M and the solution B, 1 M, in what
test tube would the stoichiometric endpoint be expected?

Given:
volume A CuSO2 = .125 M
volume B Pb(NO3)2 = 1.0 M

1 2 3 4 5
Volume A 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0
(ml) CuSO2
Volume B 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
(ml)
Pb(NO3)2
mmol A 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25
mmol B 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Stoichiomet Test Tube 4
ric point
● The stimulant in coffee and tea is caffeine, a substance of molar mass 194 g/mol.
When 0.376 g of caffeine was burned, 0.682 g of carbon dioxide, 0.174 g of water
and 0.110 g of nitrogen were formed. Determine the empirical and molecular
formulas of caffeine.

● A compound of the element A and oxygen of has a mole ratio A:O =2:3. If 8.0
grams of the oxide contains 2.4 grams of the oxygen,

● What is the atomic weight of A?

● What is the weight of one mole of the oxide?

● What theoretical weight of the oxide is formed when 28 grams of A is

heated in excess oxygen? What is the % yield, if 38 grams of the
oxide was produced?