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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)


Density

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the densities of various polymers used daily in
industrial processes.

CONCEPTS LEARNED

Precision, Accuracy, and Significant Figures


Statistical analysis;
Use of a analytical balance and different types of volumetric glassware

INTRODUCTION

A polymer is a chemical compound with a molecular structure consisting mainly of a large number of
repeating units called monomers. They are chiefly used as plastics and resins and therefore are
essential to everyday lives.

Density is a characteristic property of matter that can be used to identify a substance. It is defined as
the mass per unit volume of a substance and has the metric units g/mL. A solid substance will sink if
it is placed in a liquid that is less dense than the solid, it will float in a liquid that is more dense and it
will “just float” in a liquid of equal density. You will determine the densities of varying solvents and
the densities of several important polymers in those liquids.

In this experiment you will learn how to measure both mass and volume using laboratory equipment.
In any quantitative operation, one must always be concerned with both the precision and accuracy of
the measurements. The precision is determined by how closely two or more measurements of the
same quantity agree with each other. Random errors, unpredictable variations in measurements that
result from fluctuations such as mechanical vibrations or differences in reading scales, are reflected
in the precision of the data. The best way to evaluate the overall precision of an experiment is to
repeat the entire experiment several times, varying the amounts of the substances used, but otherwise
performing each operation the same way, and then to check the reproducibility of the data. The
accuracy of a measurement refers to its degree of correspondence with a true or known value.
Systematic errors, which result from such things as defective instrumentation or faulty lab technique,
lead to inaccurate measurements. High precision might seem to imply high accuracy in a result, but
this is not necessarily the case. If an instrument is improperly calibrated, for example, it may
consistently give an inaccurate result with a high precision. Precision is not the same as accuracy.

Standard Deviation (StDev) is a measure of the dispersion among a set of data – how wide the
range is among a data set. It is compared to the mean and tells how much each data point differs to
the mean. A low standard deviation indicates a narrow range among the data set; subsequently, a
high standard deviation indicates a wide range among the data set.
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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)
Density
You will obtain mass and volume measurements of each solvent given to you by the instructor using
a balance to measure the mass and a volumetric device to measure the volume. The values that you
obtain for the mass and volume will be used to calculate the density of each solvent and each
polymer. You will compare the densities of each polymer in each solvent and utilize statistical
analysis to determine how accurate your results are.

Every measuring device has a degree of precision, or uncertainty, associated with it. The general rule
in using such a device is to estimate between the smallest calibrations of the measuring scale in order
to obtain a reading with one more digit. The pieces of equipment you will use in the experiment have
the following uncertainties:

top-loading balance: ±0.001 g


10 mL graduated cylinder: ±0.1 mL
10 mL volumetric flask: ±0.01 mL
10 mL volumetric pipet: ±0.01 mL
25 mL buret: ±0.01 mL
25 mL beaker: Approximately 5% of the capacity1

The sensitivity of the instrument and the size of the sample govern the number of significant figures
that can be reported. The significant figures in a number consist of all the digits known with
certainty to be correct, plus one estimated digit. In other words, the last figure on the right should be
the only approximate figure in the number. Always be sure your measurements include the last
estimated digit, even if it is zero.

It is important that a number which results from a calculation that incorporates more than one type of
measurement does not claim a higher precision than was possible with the least precise measurement.
In other words, the number of significant figures contained in the result cannot exceed the number of
significant figures that are included in the least precise measurement. Keep this in mind when you
read the ten-digit display on your calculator! Using the proper number of significant figures is a
convenient way to estimate the uncertainty of a calculated result. The uncertainty will always be
contained in the last digit of the result.

The following are guidelines for using significant figures. Also, see your General Chemistry
textbook:

1. All nonzero digits are significant, and zeroes between nonzero digits are significant.
Zeroes to the left of the first nonzero digit are not significant.
2. Trailing zeroes after a decimal point are always significant.

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https://sd34science.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/precision-and-uncertainties-for-common-lab-equipment-lab-1.pdf
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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)
Density
3. Trailing zeroes before an implied decimal point are ambiguous and should be avoided by
using scientific notation.
4. In addition and subtraction calculations, the result carries the same number of decimal
places as the quantity with the fewest decimal places.
5. In multiplication and division calculations, the result carries the same number of
significant figures as the factor with the fewest number of significant figures.
6. When rounding to the correct number of significant figures, round down if the last (or
leftmost) digit dropped is four or less; round up if the last (or leftmost) digit is five or more.
7. To avoid rounding errors in multistep calculations, round only the final answer—do not
round intermediate steps. If you write down intermediate steps, keep track of significant
figures by underlining the least significant digit.

Note: When a problem involves both addition or subtraction and multiplication or division, the
answer may have a different number of significant figures than the initial quantities.

PROCEDURE2

Team Goal: PolyNat LLC is looking to design a polymer safe that can withstand fire, floods,
and tornados. The company is currently conducting the flood testing and has hired your
consultant team Density Inc., to carry out density test on possible polymer candidates in
various solvent and solutions. It is imperative that these measurements are accurate and
precise to ensure that the material will have the proper mechanical and floatation
requirements to remain afloat in various types of aqueous medium.

It is important your results are reproducible. Two ways in which to accomplish this are: 1) to
take multiple measurements (also good for precision) and 2) to use two independent
measurement techniques. Using the density information from part I, design an experimental
plan to determine the most desirable polymer for PolyNat LLC to use in their polymer safes.
The list of samples and relevant density data are listed below.

Polymer Samples
polyethylene (PE) milk jug
polypropylene (PP) Tupperware®
polystyrene (PS) coffee cup
poly(ethylene terephthalate)

If a polymer sample has the same density as a liquid mixture, would it float, sink or be
suspended in the mixture? If a polymer sample has a density in between two common liquids,
how could you precisely measure the two liquids? These are the questions that need to be
answered before the results are forwarded to PolyNat LLC.

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http://sitesmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/chem/files/2016/06/F2016DensityProcedure1.pdf
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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)
Density

Table 2: Density Data for common liquids and polymeric


materials Density (g/cm3)
solid liquid3
Water - 0.997
NaCl (2M) - 1.077
Isopropanol (50%) - 0.9189
CaCl2 - 2.150
cryst 4 amorph4
Poly(ethylene) 0.962 0.855
Poly(propylene) 0.938 0.852
Poly(ethylene 1.455 1.333
terephthalate)
Poly(styrene) - 1.055
Styrene-butadiene rubber 1.010 (B) 1.055 (S)
Poly(amide) (Nylon) 1.220 0.989
Poly(carbonate) - 1.200

3
Haynes, W.M., Ed.; CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 92nd Ed. (Internet Version); CRC Press/Taylor and
Francis: Boca Raton, FL, 2012
4
Brandup, J., Immergut, E.H., Grulke, E.A., Eds.; Polymer Handbook, 4th Ed.; Wiley and Sons: New York, 1999
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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)
Density
1. Finding the density of each solvent

You will work along with your group members on this part of the experiment. Each
group must determine the density of each solvent using the volumetric devices assigned by
the instructor

Measuring Device Used: _____________________________

DESIGN YOUR OWN EXPERIMENT AND RECORD IT IN YOUR LAB NOTEBOOK

Solvent Mass (g) Volume (mL) Density (g/mL)

Water 1) 1) 1)
2) 2) 2)
3) 3) 3)
Average: Average: Average:
StDev: StDev: StDev:
Actual:

Isopropanol (50%) 1) 1) 1)
2) 2) 2)
3) 3) 3)
Average: Average: Average:
StDev: StDev: StDev:
Actual:

NaCl Solution (2M) 1) 1) 1)


2) 2) 2)
3) 3) 3)
Average: Average: Average:
StDev: StDev: StDev:
Actual:

CaCl2 Solution 1) 1) 1)
2) 2) 2)
3) 3) 3)
Average: Average: Average:
StDev: StDev: StDev:
Actual:
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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)
Density
2. Finding the density of each polymer

You will be given three polymers and one monomer, samples A-D. You will also be given the
densities of four known samples to “match” to your unknown samples. Without calculating the
densities of your samples, and using the densities of your solvents determined in the first part of
this experiment, design an experiment that will allow you to figure out the densities of your
samples.

DESIGN YOUR OWN EXPERIMENT AND RECORD IT IN YOUR LAB NOTEBOOK

Record the polymers and their densities given by the instructor:


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Chemistry 103P – Experiments in General Chemistry (Polymer Concepts)
Density

Solvent Solvent Density Float? Sample Actual Density


Y or N Identity (g/mL)

Sample A
1) 1)
2) 2)
3) 3)
4) 4)
Sample B
1) 1)
2) 2)
3) 3)
4) 4)
Sample C
1) 1)
2) 2)
3) 3)
4) 4)
Sample D
1) 1)
2) 2)
3) 3)
4) 4)

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