| Purpose: |
The purpose of this lab is to first create an oxidized
compound and then calculate the percentage of oxygen in it. |
| Safety Notes: |
The burning of magnesium generates an intense white light. Mixed in with the white light there is ultraviolet (UV) light as well. Do not look at the magnesium as it is burning. |
| Apparatus: |
Retort stand, ceramic tile hot plate, ring clamp, pipe clay triangle, crucible and lid, crucible tongs, Bunsen burner. |
| Materials: | 25 cm of Magnesium ribbon |
| Procedure: | |
| 1. | Obtain a 25 cm piece of magnesium ribbon. The exact length is not
important. |
| 2. | Find the mass of the magnesium ribbon and record it in the data
table. |
| 3. | Setup the apparatus with the retort stand, ring clamp, Bunsen burner
and pipeclay triangle sitting on the ceramic tile hot plate. |
| 4. | Find the mass of the empty crucible and record it in the data table.
|
| 5. | Roll the ribbon of magnesium into a spiral or crush it into a compacted
mass and place it in the crucible. |
| 6. | Cover the crucible and heat strongly for 5 minutes or until red
hot. |
| 7. | With the crucible tongs gently lift the crucible lid to let air
into the crucible. |
| 8. | With the lid left slightly open discontinue heating. |
| 9. | Remove the crucible lid and let the crucible cool before massing
it again. |
| 10. | Mass the crucible and contents. The contents are your new compound
of magnesium oxide. Record the mass on the data table. |
| Data Table | |
| Mass of magnesium ribbon
= __________ Mass of crucible = __________ Mass of crucible and contents = __________ |
|
| Calculations: | |
| 1. | Find the mass of the contents of the crucible. This is your new
compound of magnesium oxide. |
| 2. | The percentage of magnesium in the compound can be found like this:
Percentage of magnesium =
mass of magnesium ribbon
X 100 |
| 3. | Find the percentage of oxygen in the compound. |
| Conclusions: | The percentage composition of magnesium oxide is ...... |
| Error Analysis: | The above answers are your actual values. |
| If the formula for magnesium oxide is MgO use your periodic table
to calculate the theoretical percentage composition of both the magnesium
and the oxygen. |
|
| % error = actual value
- theoretical value x 100
theoretical value |
|
| Calculate the percentage composition for MgO. |
|
| Calculate the % error for O: |
|
| Calculate the % error for Mg: |