Chemistry Labs

CHM 1311 - Principles of Chemistry

Lab 1: Verification of Gas Laws

• Laboratory Safety: Learned safety protocols, including wearing approved eye protection and proper handling of hot equipment and chemicals (e.g., acetone disposal).

• Experimental Design: Developed skills in planning experiments by identifying and controlling independent and dependent variables, as demonstrated in designing the procedure for Boyle’s Law verification.

• Data Collection: Gained proficiency in using laboratory equipment such as the LabQuest2, Vernier Gas Pressure Sensor, and 20 mL syringe to collect precise measurements of pressure and volume.

• Graphing and Data Analysis: Acquired skills in graphing data, interpreting graphical results, and performing curve fitting to determine mathematical relationships (e.g., verifying Charles’ Law and Boyle’s Law).

• Understanding Gas Laws: Mastered the principles of Charles’ Law (volume-temperature relationship at constant pressure) and Boyle’s Law (pressure-volume relationship at constant temperature) through experimental validation.

• Ideal Gas Behavior: Learned the concept of ideal gases, their characteristics, and deviations from ideality under varying pressure and temperature conditions.

• Temperature Scales: Understood the relationship between Celsius and Kelvin scales, including the determination of absolute zero through graphical analysis.

• Error Analysis: Developed the ability to calculate percent error and assess experimental limitations to evaluate the accuracy of results.

• Procedure Development: Gained experience in writing clear, replicable experimental procedures, incorporating trials, replicas, and error minimization strategies.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Worked with a partner to plan and execute experiments, fostering communication and coordination skills.

• Data Interpretation: Learned to analyze volume-temperature and pressure-volume data to confirm theoretical gas law relationships and calculate constants (e.g., Boyle’s Law constant).

• Scientific Reporting: Developed skills in documenting experimental procedures, results, and analyses in a lab notebook, adhering to assessment criteria and rubric standards.

Lab 2: Enthalpy of various Reactions

• Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions: Developed an understanding of exothermic (heat-releasing) and endothermic (heat-absorbing) reactions based on enthalpy signs.

• Graphical Extrapolation: Gained experience in using graphical methods to analyze

  calorimetric data, such as extrapolating temperature changes to determine thermal properties.

• Safety with Chemicals: Learned to handle chemicals like ammonium nitrate and ammonium

  chloride safely, referencing Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).

• Data Analysis: Developed skills in analyzing experimental data to calculate enthalpies

  and interpret the thermal behavior of solutions and metals.

• Scientific Documentation: Improved ability to document experimental procedures,

  calculations, and results in a clear and organized manner for laboratory reports.

• Calorimetry Techniques: Gained proficiency in using a coffee cup calorimeter to measure thermal energy changes during chemical reactions.

• Specific Heat Capacity Measurement: Learned to determine the specific heat capacity of a metal by transferring heat to water and measuring temperature changes.

• Enthalpy Calculations: Acquired skills in calculating the enthalpy of solution for salts and understanding the contributions of lattice and hydration energies.

• Hess’ Law Application: Understood how to apply Hess’ Law to determine the enthalpy of complex reactions by combining enthalpies of simpler reactions.

• Thermal Energy Concepts: Mastered the principles of heat transfer, including the relationship between heat, mass, specific heat capacity, and temperature change.

• Standard Heat of Formation: Learned the concept of standard heat of formation and its significance for substances in their standard states.

Lab 3: Equilibria

• Equilibrium Observation: Developed skills in observing and interpreting shifts in chemical equilibria through qualitative assessments of reactions involving copper and silver ions.

• Buffer Preparation: Learned to prepare a buffer system simulating the blood’s carbonate/carbonic acid buffer, understanding its role in maintaining pH stability.

• pH Measurement and Estimation: Gained proficiency in using a pH probe to measure solution pH and estimating pH changes based on chemical reactions and indicators.

• Use of Indicators: Acquired knowledge of using chemical indicators to assess pH changes through color shifts, understanding their dissociation equilibria.

• Le Chatelier’s Principle: Understood how to apply Le Chatelier’s Principle to predict and explain equilibrium shifts due to changes in concentration, temperature, and other factors.

• Equilibrium Constants: Learned to interpret equilibrium constants (K, Ka, Kb, Kw) and their relationship to reaction favorability and acid/base strength.

• Weak Acids and Bases: Gained understanding of weak acid/base equilibria, including acid dissociation constants (Ka) and base dissociation constants (Kb), and their relation to Kw.

• Common-Ion Effect: Explored the common-ion effect through experiments that demonstrated how adding ions affects equilibrium positions.

• Temperature Effects on Equilibria: Understood the impact of temperature on exothermic and endothermic reactions, influencing equilibrium shifts.

• Amphoteric Species: Learned about amphoteric substances (e.g., water, bicarbonate) and their ability to act as both acids and bases in chemical equilibria.

• Blood pH Regulation: Gained insight into the bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer system in blood, its coupling with the respiratory system, and its role in preventing acidosis and alkalosis.

• Successive Reactions: Developed skills in setting up and observing multiple sequential

  equilibria, particularly with silver ion reactions, to study precipitation and complex formation.

• Safe Chemical Handling: Learned to safely handle corrosive chemicals (e.g., HCl,HNO3, NH3) and dispose of hazardous wastes like silver solutions, referencing MSDS.

• Qualitative Analysis: Enhanced ability to make detailed qualitative observations of chemical changes (e.g., color, precipitation) and explain them using balanced chemical equations.

• Scientific Reporting: Improved skills in documenting observations, chemical reactions, and equilibrium explanations in a lab report, aligning with provided rubric criteria.

Lab 4: Acid-Base Titrations

• Solution Preparation by Dilution: Learned to prepare a diluted NaOH solution from a concentrated stock, calculating approximate concentrations using the dilution formula (c1V1 = c2V2).

• Standardization of Solutions: Gained proficiency in standardizing a NaOH solution by titrating it against a standard acid of known concentration to determine its exact concentration.

• Volumetric Titration: Developed skills in performing volumetric titrations to determine the concentration of an unknown diprotic acid using a standardized NaOH solution.

• pH Probe and Drop Counter Use: Acquired experience in using a pH probe and drop counter with LabQuest 2 to measure pH changes and calibrate drop rates for precise volume measurements.

• Indicator Application: Learned to use phenolphthalein as an indicator to visually identify the endpoint of a titration, understanding its color change in relation to pH.

• Equivalence Point Determination: Mastered the use of graphing software (e.g., LoggerPro) to determine the equivalence point via the first derivative of pH data, comparing it to the visual endpoint.

• Acid-Base Chemistry: Understood the Arrhenius definition of acids (proton donors) and bases (hydroxide donors), and their behavior in neutralization reactions.

• Stoichiometry in Titrations: Gained expertise in applying stoichiometric relationships to calculate the volume and concentration of acids and bases in neutralization reactions.

• Concentration Calculations: Learned to calculate solution concentrations (mol/L) using the relationship between moles, volume, and molar mass, and applied this to titration data.

• Error Analysis: Developed skills in identifying sources of experimental error (e.g., volume measurement inaccuracies) and assessing their impact on calculated concentrations.

• Safe Chemical Handling: Learned to safely handle corrosive chemicals like NaOH and HCl, following proper cleanup and disposal procedures, referencing MSDS.

• Data Analysis and Graphing: Improved ability to analyze titration data, create pH versus volume graphs, and interpret results to determine equivalence points and concentrations.

• Scientific Reporting: Enhanced skills in documenting experimental procedures, calculations, and results in a lab report, including screenshots of raw data and graphs, adhering to rubric standards.

• Chemical Species Analysis: Gained understanding of the chemical species present at different stages of a diprotic acid titration, including at equivalence points, and explained their ratios using chemical equations.

Lab 5: A Kinetic Study: Catalase

• Enzyme Extraction: Learned to extract catalase from lettuce, spinach, or cabbage without organic solvents, considering stability and quantity needed for experiments.

• Rate Measurement: Gained proficiency in measuring initial reaction rates for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by catalase and potassium iodide.

• Order Determination: Developed skills in determining the partial order of a reaction with respect to hydrogen peroxide using graphical methods and the rate law.

• Activation Energy Calculation: Learned to calculate activation energy (EA) for catalase- and KI-catalyzed reactions by measuring rate constants at different temperatures and using the Arrhenius equation.

• Graphing Techniques: Acquired expertise in plotting concentration versus time to determine initial rates and to calculate activation energy, using slopes for

  analysis.

• Experimental Design: Developed skills in designing a procedure to control variables, identify dependent and independent variables, and ensure reproducibility of measurements.

• Catalysis Concepts: Understood the role of catalysts (catalase and KI) in lowering activation energy, providing an alternative reaction pathway, and increasing reaction rates.

• Kinetics Principles: Gained knowledge of chemical kinetics, including rate laws, reaction orders, and the impact of concentration and temperature on reaction rates.

• Method of Initial Rates: Learned to use the method of initial rates to determine reaction orders by analyzing the slope of concentration-time plots at early reaction stages.

• Safe Chemical Handling: Mastered safe handling of hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodide, and catalase, referencing MSDS for safety and stability precautions.

• Team Collaboration: Enhanced group work skills by collaboratively developing and revising experimental procedures, distributing tasks, and evaluating procedures against assessment criteria.

• Data Reproducibility: Learned to verify experimental reproducibility by conducting multiple trials and ensuring consistent measurement conditions.

• Scientific Reporting: Improved ability to document experimental design, data, observations, and kinetic analyses in a lab report, addressing pre-lab questions and assessment criteria.

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