Introduction

A hydrate is a compound that contains water molecules. Often these are salts which crystallized
while in solution. Consider the crystallization of sodium acetate (NaC 2H3O2) from an aqueous
solution, as an example. The crystals that form in solution may be separated by filtration. If
these crystals are then allowed to sit in the open air for a few hours, all of the residual moisture on
the surface will evaporate. The crystals will appear to be dry. But they are only dry on the
surface – chemical analysis would show that 3 water molecules accompany every formula unit of
sodium acetate (not chemically bound to each other – weakly associated with each other). This is
shown by writing the formula as:

NaC2H3O2 ∙ 3H2O

Definite stoichiometry occurs because the water in a hydrate occupies definite sites in the
crystalline lattice, just as Na + and Cl- ions occupy definite positions in the NaCl lattice. Because
this water occupies definite sites, it must be present in definite stoichiometric amounts. The
quantity of water will not change as long as the temperature (and pressure) is not altered
significantly.

Again, these water molecules are only weakly associated with the salt and may be driven off
using heat.

In this lab you will use mass relationships to identify the product that you obtain from the thermal
decomposition of a known salt, magnesium sulfate, which is in a hydrate form. By heating this
material, the hydrate water is removed – the difference in initial (hydrate form) and final weight
(post heat – anhydrous form) of the sample will indicate water mass in the sample. From this we
can determine the formula of our hydrate:

MgSO4∙XH2O + heat → MgSO4 + XH2O

where, X = number of moles of H2O per mole of MgSO4

To determine moles of MgSO4 and H2O:

• moles of MgSO4 = final weight MgSO4/ MW of MgSO4 (120.37 g/mol)

To determine X (stoichiometric relation of moles of H2O per mole of MgSO4):

• X = moles of Water / moles of MgSO4

1) What are the differences between water on the surface of the crystals of a hydrate and hydrate
water itself?

2) Provide definitions for hydrate and anhydrous.

Procedure

Step 1. Obtain a weighed amount of the magnesium hydrate (say 30 g), place in a crucible.

Step 2. Heat compound with Bunsen burner until all of the water is driven-off (you can verify this
be weighing the crucible in intervals while heating it). When the weight stops declining you’ve
removed all the water.

Step 3. Record mass of final compound.

Data

• Initial Weight of magnesium sulfate∙XH2O: ____________ g

• Final Weight of magnesium sulfate: ____________ g

Calculations

• Weight of water driven off (Initial weight - Final weight): ____________ g

• Moles of water loss: Weight of water / MW H2O (18.016 g/mol ):

____________ mol H2O

• Moles of MgSO4: Final weight MgSO4 / MW MgSO4 (120.37 g/mol):

____________ mol MgSO4

• X = moles of water loss/ moles of MgSO4:

• Given that hydrate is: MgSO4∙XH2O,

• How many moles of Mg participated in the reaction:

____________ moles of Mg

• How many atoms of Mg participated in the reaction:

____________ # of atoms of Mg

Stoichiometry Lab
Single Replacement Reactions: Aluminum and Copper

Pre-Lab Questions
1. Define Stoichiometry
2. What is a mole-to-mole ratio and why is it important in stoichiometry? Find an example
of a balanced equation (not given to you) and use to explain.
3. Write the complete, balanced equation showing what happens when aluminum foil is
placed into copper (II) chloride solution.
a. Write two possible mole-to-mole ratios and explain when you would use them.
b. What type of reaction is this? Will it happen and how do you know?
4. How do you find theoretical yield?
5. How do you find actual yield?
6. What is the formula for % yield?

Materials
1. One 50 or 100 mL beaker
2. One glass stir rod
3. One scoopula
4. One digital balance
5. Two weigh boats
6. 0.2 g of aluminum foil
7. 2 g of CuCl2
8. 25 mL of D.I. water
9. One ring stand
10. One piece of filter paper
11. One funnel
12. One 150 mL Erlenmeyer flask

Procedure
Day 1
1. Place a weigh boat on the balance and tare the instrument.
2. Weigh out 0.2 g of aluminum foil.
3. Tear the aluminum foil into smaller pieces to increase the reaction speed. Keep in weigh
boat until needed.
4. Repeat step 1 with your other weigh boat. Using the scoopula, weigh out 2 g of copper
(II) chloride into the weigh boat.
5. Pour the copper (II) chloride crystals into your beaker and add your 25 mL of D.I. water.
Stir with a glass rod until fully dissolved.
6. Record all observations of your reactants before the reaction takes place.
7. Carefully add the aluminum foil to your copper (II) chloride solution. Take care not to
splash anything. This reaction is very exothermic. DO NOT touch. Feel free to stir with the
glass stir rod if necessary.
8. Record all observations of the reaction. Let the reaction continue for 15 minutes.
9. While waiting for the reaction to finish, weigh a piece of dry filter paper.
10. Set up a filter funnel in your ring stand. Wet the filter paper with a little bit of D.I. water
and place the paper in the funnel. Under the funnel, use a 150 mL Erlenmeyer flask to
collect the filtrate.
11. If the reaction appears to have stopped and the beaker is cool enough to touch safely
then proceed to the next step.
12. Pour your reaction mixture from the beaker into the filter apparatus. Use D.I. water in a
squirt bottle to rinse all of the copper out of the beaker and into the funnel.
13. Once all the filter has drained, rinse your copper three more times with D.I. water. Each
time you rinse you should wait for it to drain before rinsing again. Just use enough water
to cover the copper with each rinse.
14. Leave your copper in the designated area for drying overnight.

Day 2
1. Mass your filter paper + copper on a balance and record in your data table.
2. Subtract the filter paper mass (Day 1) from your paper + copper mass to get the mass of
copper.
3. Dispose of copper and paper in the trash.

Data
Copy the table below into your lab notebook and fill it out as you go.
Materials Mass (g)
Aluminum foil
Copper (II) chloride
Copper
Record all qualitative observations for the reactants, the reaction, and the product(s).

Post-Lab:
1. Determine the theoretical yield of copper using the mass of the aluminum you weighed
out using the balanced equation from the pre-lab.
2. Calculate the actual yield of the copper from your experiment. Hint: the video gives you
the percent yield. Work backwards. Show all work. Your answer can go in the table for
the mass of copper.
3. Based on your observations, what was the limiting reagent in the reaction? Explain how
you know.
4. In one paragraph explain how you know that a chemical reaction took place. Give specific
details to support your answer using your qualitative data.
5. Answer the following in one paragraph. How does your theoretical yield compare to your
actual yield? Use your data to support your answer. How do you think your actual yield
would change if you used less aluminum? Would it be higher, lower or have no effect?
Explain why. How do you think your actual yield would change if you did not filter out all
of the copper? (would it be higher, lower or have no effect?) Explain why.
If you were absent to perform the experiment and collect data, watch the video at:
https://youtu.be/2aB-VNztTic to record DETAILED qualitative and quantitative observations for
the aluminum and copper (II) chloride solution in the data table