Principle of Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 1102 LAB)

Department of Chemistry
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BASIC LABORATORY TECHNIQUES

Abstract: Every laboratory experiment requires knowledge, skills, and safety. It is also important to learn
what glasswares to use for a specific method. Many accidents happen because of lack of knowledge, and
many experiments fail to be precise because of lack of proper execution of laboratory operations. This
experiment was done to familiarize students about the safety and knowledge they need to learn in
conducting experiments. After conducting many experiments, it is found out that top loading balance is
better for measuring mass, graduated cylinder for measuring volume of liquids, water displacement
method with graduated cylinder for measuring volume of solids, and filtration for separating precipitate
from solution.

Keywords: decantation, filtration, sublimation

Introduction laboratory applications, used for clarifying liquids,

The laboratory is a place where most science qualitative analytical separations, and more (Lemon, 2018).
experiments are conducted. It is where one can find Aside from these, the students also used distilled
chemicals and elements that are not usually found just water, a glass marble, and ruler for the experiment.
anywhere. For this reason, knowing the basics of
laboratories is important for Chemist students. Many 2. Weight and Volume
accidents happen because a person lacks the knowledge of Salt (NaCl), distilled water (H2O), and a glass marble
handling equipment or conducting experiments. Aside from were used in conducting this experiment. Different
that, many experiments become less accurate or precise weighing and measuring devices were used to enlighten
because of improper experiment operations. It is important students about laboratory apparatuses that are utilized
for Chemists or other people who are using the laboratory to mainly for weights and volumes.
familiarize themselves with laboratory apparatuses and to
know how to properly use them, because failure in knowing 2.1 Weighing of Solid
can greatly increase the chance of failure in succeeding. “In Salt (NaCl) was used to determine the volume of
a scientific laboratory, there are also fundamental skills that solid. With unknown mass, salt was weighed first using a
require mastering before more complex tasks can be triple beam balance, a weighing device that has three bars of
undertaken. Building a solid foundation of core lab skills is weights, which reads 100-gram increments, 10-gram
critical not only to producing accurate, reproducible increments, and 0 to 10-grams, that slide along calibrated
experimental results, but also to prevent damage to scales (Sobek, 2017). After getting the measurement, the
expensive equipment and maintain a safe environment for same NaCl was weighed using a top load balance, another
ourselves and our fellow labmates”, as told by Sean Sanders weighing device that is capable of measuring up to 200g and
(2018). is considered semi-analytical (Lab Supply Network, n.d.).
This experiment is done with an objective of
familiarizing students about the scientific laboratory so they 2.2. Volume Determination of Liquid
can know the proper way of using apparatuses, handling To determine the volume of liquid, distilled water
substances, and performing operations. was used as a sample. The temperature of the distilled water
was first measured to get the approximate density of the
Materials and Methods liquid in a certain temperature. 50 mL of distilled water was
1. Samples and Reagents then measured in a clean and dry beaker and weighed on a
The following are the samples and reagents used for top load balance. Its density (p=m/v) was then computed.
this study: sodium chloride (NaCl), ferric chloride (FeCl 3), The process was repeated with the use of Erlenmeyer flask
sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and a Whatman filter paper no. and graduated cylinder. The computed densities from the
1. Sodium chloride, also commonly known as table salt, is a three apparatuses were compared with the approximate
white crystalline solid that is one of the many abundant density.
minerals on earth (“Sodium Chloride,” n.d.). Ferric chloride,
also called Iron(III) chloride, is a highly corrosive and 2.3. Density of Marble
acidic compound. When dissolved in a solution, it is used in 20 mL of water was measured using a graduated
sewage treatment and water purification (“Ferric Chloride,” cylinder and was set aside for later use. Graduated cylinders
n.d.). Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)or lye, on the other hand, is are measuring containers with markings calibrated to actual
commonly used as a drain cleaner in its concentrated form volume measurements (Phatak, 2018). Meanwhile, the glass
(National Research Council, 1984). Lastly, Whatman filter marble was weighed using a top load balance. The marble
paper no.1 was used because this grade has a wide range of was also measured with a ruler to know its diameter, which
Principles of Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 1102 LAB)
Department of Chemistry
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4 3 2.01 on top load balance. This result showed that triple

is used to compute for its volume (Volume= xΠr ). The beam balance is much less accurate than top load balance,
3
which offers electric and digital read out in seconds
mass of the marble and its volume are used to compute for
(Granger, 1994). Triple beam balance is less sensitive than
its density (p=m/v).
top load balance but is less readable compared to the latter.
The marble was now placed on the 20 mL of water in
Top load balances are accurate weighing devices, supported
the graduated cylinder. The water displacement was used to
by Lüchinger and Strickler (1979) who stated, “a coil
determine the volume of the marble in the water. Volume
connected to the weighing pan moves in the air gap of a
was then measured (Volumemarble=Volfinal-Volinitial). The
magnet system, and electric current flowing through the coil
density was also computed (p=m/v).
may be adjusted to return the pan to a predetermined
position after displacement by a load. The magnitude of the
3. Handling of Substance
restoring current is a measure of the load weight.”
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and ferric chloride
(FeCl3) are chemicals that are handled for the experiment.
Different separation processes were conducted for the
students to learn how reactions and separations happen.

3.1. Solution and Precipitate

5 mL of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution was
placed into 4 test tubes. 5 mL of ferric chloride (FeCl 3) was
added to the NaOH in the test tubes. Precipitate formed after
some minutes; two test tubes underwent decantation while
the other two underwent filtration. Helmenstine (2019)
noted that decantation is the process of separating solid Figure 1.1. Triple beam Figure 1.2. Sodium
particles, called precipitate, from the liquid. This is done by balance chloride
removing the liquid layer at the top from the bottom part
with the precipitate. Filtration, on the other hand, is the Table 1.2. Comparison of the different densities of H 2O at
process in which solid particles in a liquid are removed 29°C using different measuring tools.
using a filter medium that allows the fluid to pass through,
leaving the solid particles on the filter (The Editors of Weight Comparison
Computed
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2017). Measuring of with the given
Density
Tool 50mL density
(at 29°C)
3.2. Evaporation and Residue Water (996.02mg/mL)
The solutions in the previous experiment are 962.2
Beaker 48.11g 33.8mg/mL
gathered for evaporation. The liquid obtained through mg/mL
decantation were transferred to an evaporating dish and Erlenmeyer 983.6
49.18g 12.42mg/mL
heated until all the liquid has evaporated. The same process Flask mg/mL
was done for the solution obtained through filtration. The Graduated 985.6
49.28g 10.42mg/mL
residue of both solutions was compared. Cylinder mg/mL
After measuring the density of water from three
4. Waste Management different tools, this table was formulated. The densities of
All wastes generated from this experiment should be 50 mL of H2O when measured from the beaker, graduated
disposed to the Inorganic wastes container. cylinder, and Erlenmeyer flask were 962.2 mg/mL, 985.6
mg/mL, and 983.6 mg/mL respectively. The measuring tool
Results and Discussion that showed the highest accuracy is the graduated cylinder,
1. Weight and Volume with a result of 985.6 mg/mL, for it is the closest one to the
Table 1.1. Comparison of the mass of NaCl when measured given density of H2O at 29 oC which is 996.02mg/mL.
using two different weighing devices. Brubaker (2018) also stated that beakers and
Substance Equipment Weight erlenmeyer flasks are better for stirring and mixing liquids,
Triple Beam while graduated cylinders are better for measuring liquids.
2g Graduated cylinders are typically more accurate at reading
Balance
NaCl volumes than other glasswares used for measuring. They are
Top Load designed to make accurate volume measurements. By taking
2.01g
Balance a reading before inserting an object and then after inserting
Table 1.1. indicates the results of the experiment. it, one can tell the volume of that object through the
NaCl weighed 2g on triple beam balance, while it weighed difference of the two readings (Wolfe, 2018).
 Principle of Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 1102 LAB)
Department of Chemistry
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Table 2.2. Comparison of two different separation process

on the product of FeCl3 and NaOH.
Separation Method Observation
The residue from the
Filtration filtration method was
almost unnoticeable.
There are still some
Decantation residues left after doing
decantation method.
Figure 1.3. Beaker Figure 1.4. Table 2.2. explains the observation after the process
Graduated cylinder of filtration and decantation to FeCl3 and NaOH product. In
filtration, the residue is not noticeable anymore, due to the
Table 1.3. Computed density of the glass marble using two filter paper that trapped any large materials from the
different measuring tools. solution. In decantation, some residues are still present
Comparison because the process only meant separating matter by
Weight
Measuring
of Volume Density
with the transferring the solution while leaving the residue behind.
Tool given density The filtration method is better than decantation method
Marble
(2.2 g/mL) because of its effective filtering, making it has less residue
1. 77 3.08 than decantation method.
Ruler 5.46 g 0.88 g/mL
mL g/mL Filtration is a more sophisticated approach of
Graduated 2.73 separation of a solid and liquid, it is a better and sensitive
5.46 g 2 mL 0.53 g/mL
Cylinder g/mL approach for separation of a mixture of solid and liquid.
This table shows the comparison of accuracy of the This is so because it can be used to separate even smaller
densities computed using a ruler as a measuring tool and solid particles which may not completely settle down during
water displacement method. decantation where there is a chance of the particles to mix
It is observed based on the experiment conducted that back into the liquid. Filtration could produce a clearer
the volume of the marble based on its water displacement filtrate but may take more time especially when a thick layer
measured in the graduated cylinder yields a more accurate of solid has formed on the filter paper.
computed density than the method of obtaining the volume
using a ruler as a measuring tool. Conclusions
After conducting all experiments concerning the
2. Handling of Substance basics of the laboratory, conclusions have been made. Top
Table 2.1. Observation on the solution after combining loading balance is a more accurate and more convenient
FeCl3 and NaOH. weighing device than triple beam balance, agreeing to
Mixture Observation Granger (1994) when he stated that triple beam balance
Before mixing, FeCl3 is a offers much less readability but are convenient for its easy
yellow liquid while mechanics, durability, and cost, while top loading balance
NaOH is white, but after allows measurements to be made quickly and accurately.
FeCl3 + NaOH Graduated cylinder is better than beaker and erlenmeyer
the reaction, the solution
became red brown and a flask in terms of measuring liquids, this is in accordance to
precipitate was formed. Brubaker (2018) who said that beakers and erlenmeyer
Before the combination, FeCl3 is a yellow liquid flasks are better for stirring and mixing liquids while
while NaOH is white, but after the reaction, the solution graduated cylinders are better for measuring liquids.
became red brown and after seconds, a solid Fe(OH) 3 was Measuring volume of solids using water displacement
formed. FeCl3 reacted to NaOH and even though they are method by using graduated cylinders is more accurate than
both liquids, their reaction produced a precipitate. the volume obtained using a ruler. Mixing FeCl3 and NaOH
will result to the formation of a precipitate. Lastly, filtration
is better than decantation in terms of separating solid
particles from a liquid.
Principles of Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 1102 LAB)
Department of Chemistry
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