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Determination of The Atomic Weight of Magnesium CHEM 101: 1 Objective

This document summarizes an experiment to determine the atomic weight of magnesium. John Smith and partners measured the mass of magnesium and magnesium oxide before and after heating magnesium in oxygen. They calculated the atomic weight of magnesium to be 24.1 g/mol based on the stoichiometric ratio of magnesium and oxygen in the reaction. This value is consistent with the accepted value of 24.3 g/mol and has a percentage discrepancy of 1.3%, within experimental uncertainty of the measurement balance and potential incomplete reaction.

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31 views

Determination of The Atomic Weight of Magnesium CHEM 101: 1 Objective

This document summarizes an experiment to determine the atomic weight of magnesium. John Smith and partners measured the mass of magnesium and magnesium oxide before and after heating magnesium in oxygen. They calculated the atomic weight of magnesium to be 24.1 g/mol based on the stoichiometric ratio of magnesium and oxygen in the reaction. This value is consistent with the accepted value of 24.3 g/mol and has a percentage discrepancy of 1.3%, within experimental uncertainty of the measurement balance and potential incomplete reaction.

Uploaded by

AZ PROYECTOS
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Determination of the Atomic

Weight of Magnesium
CHEM 101
John Smith
May 27, 2018

Date Performed: January 1, 2012


Partners: James Smith
Mary Smith
Instructor: Professor Smith

1 Objective
To determine the atomic weight of magnesium via its reaction with oxygen and
to study the stoichiometry of the reaction (as defined in 1.1):

2Mg + O2 −−→ 2MgO

1.1 Definitions
Stoichiometry The relationship between the relative quantities of substances
taking part in a reaction or forming a compound, typically a ratio of whole
integers.
Atomic mass The mass of an atom of a chemical element expressed in atomic
mass units. It is approximately equivalent to the number of protons and
neutrons in the atom (the mass number) or to the average number allowing
for the relative abundances of different isotopes.

2 Experimental Data
Mass of empty crucible 7.28 g
Mass of crucible and magnesium before heating 8.59 g
Mass of crucible and magnesium oxide after heating 9.46 g
Balance used #4
Magnesium from sample bottle #1

1
3 Sample Calculation
Mass of magnesium metal = 8.59 g - 7.28 g
= 1.31 g
Mass of magnesium oxide = 9.46 g - 7.28 g
= 2.18 g
Mass of oxygen = 2.18 g - 1.31 g
= 0.87 g
Because of this reaction, the required ratio is the atomic weight of magnesium:
16.00 g of oxygen as experimental mass of Mg: experimental mass of oxygen
x
or 1.31 16
= 0.87 from which, MMg = 16.00 × 0.871.31
= 24.1 = 24 g mol−1 (to two
significant figures).

4 Results and Conclusions


The atomic weight of magnesium is concluded to be 24 g mol−1 , as determined
by the stoichiometry of its chemical combination with oxygen. This result is in
agreement with the accepted value.

Figure 1: Figure caption.

5 Discussion of Experimental Uncertainty


The accepted value (periodic table) is 24.3 g mol−1 ?. The percentage discrep-
ancy between the accepted value and the result obtained here is 1.3%. Because
only a single measurement was made, it is not possible to calculate an estimated
standard deviation.
The most obvious source of experimental uncertainty is the limited precision of
the balance. Other potential sources of experimental uncertainty are: the reac-
tion might not be complete; if not enough time was allowed for total oxidation,
less than complete oxidation of the magnesium might have, in part, reacted
with nitrogen in the air (incorrect reaction); the magnesium oxide might have

2
absorbed water from the air, and thus weigh “too much.” Because the result
obtained is close to the accepted value it is possible that some of these experi-
mental uncertainties have fortuitously cancelled one another.

6 Answers to Definitions
a. The atomic weight of an element is the relative weight of one of its atoms
compared to C-12 with a weight of 12.0000000. . ., hydrogen with a weight
of 1.008, to oxygen with a weight of 16.00. Atomic weight is also the
average weight of all the atoms of that element as they occur in nature.

b. The units of atomic weight are two-fold, with an identical numerical value.
They are g/mole of atoms (or just g/mol) or amu/atom.
c. Percentage discrepancy between an accepted (literature) value and an ex-
perimental value is
experimental result − accepted result
accepted result

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