Empirical Formula Of A Hydrate Lab Report

Introduction: Chemical Compounds often exist in the form of a hydrate, which means that it is inorganic and that there is a certain amount of water molecules attached loosely to each atoms. So, an example of a hydrate would be ZnSO4 XH2O (X being the number of water molecules). This equation is written in empirical formula which means it is written in it’s simplest form with the subscripts reduced as much as possible. The X has to equal an exact number in accordance to the law of definite proportions, which states that a chemical compound always contains the same proportion of elements by mass. After you evaporate the water from the salts, the mass of the salts subtracted from the mass of the hydrate equals the mass of the water due to the …show more content…

The crucible was put over the Bunsen flame to dry for 2 minutes Next, the crucible was left to cool. The mass of the crucible was taken with the balance. A 2g sample of the Zinc Sulfate was added to the crucible. The mass of both the Crucible and the sample was taken. The clay triangle was placed on the ring stand and the crucible was placed on top of it. The crucible started to be heated on gentle heat for 1-2 minutes The flame’s intensity was increased The crucible was heated for 6 more minutes The crucible was left to cool Next, The mass of the crucible with the leftover substance was taken Data/Results/Observation: The Original mass of the empty crucible was 32.32g. After adding about two grams of hydrous Zinc sulfate the mass of the crucible with the sample before heating it was 33.89g. The substance started as a powdery white substance, but after heating it became a solid and brittle substance with a mass of 33.23g. Analysis and …show more content…

This lab did not have the correct outcome because during the lab as the substance became excited by the heat it and many particles left the crucible and not all could be retrieved and put back into the crucible. To avoid this it would be best to make sure the lid is firmly on and after removing the crucible from the heat let the substance cool before removing the lid, as the substance is still excited and may escape the crucible. Another reason this lab could have an incorrect outcome is if you heat the crucible for less than six minutes and not all the hydrate has evaporated, to avoid this it is recommended that after heating it once and taking the mass heat for a minute or two longer and then take the mass again if the mass remains the same then all the water has evaporated, if not then repeat this step until it