COVER PAGE

Course Code: CHM1311G3

EXPERIMENT 2:
DETERMINATION OF PERCENT COMPOSITION IN
HYDRATE COMPUNDS

Lecturer’s name: Madam Diana Indim

Group Members Name:

1. Rika Syntha Niun (2022468882)
2. Elylia Danisa Marahim (20228170640)
3. Siti Aisyah Amirah Binti Jale (2022489902)
4. Nur Murfiqah Binti Mat Kassim (2022863052)
5. Nur Wahyudayanti Binti Mohd Dali (2022626888)
OBJECTIVES
 To calculate the number of mole water in barium chloride hydrate using percent
compositions concept and the atomic mass.
 To identify the unknown hydrated salt (Compound A).

INTRODUCTION
Several salts that formed naturally in nature or that can be purchased from your local retailer are
hydrated salts. A hydrated salt is a salt which has a number of chemical bound water molecules
attached to the salt within its crystalline structure. These water molecules may be referred to as
the waters of crystallisation or water hydration.
In most situations the number of moles of water will remain fixed as a function of the moles
of salt present. The formula for a hydrated salt is represented by the formula for the anhydrous
salt followed by a dot and the appropriate number of water molecules. The formula for copper
sulphate pentahydrate is CuSO4, 5H2O, which indicates that five moles water of hydration are
present for each 1 mole of CuSO4 salt. Copper sulphate pentahydrate is a blue crystal, while
anhydrous salt, means without water.
CuSO4,5H2O (1) CuSO4 (1) + 5H2O (g)
However, some salts have their water bound so tightly that producing an anhydrous salt is
nearly impossible as in the case of iron trichloride hexahydrate. The salt would decompose
before the anhydrous salt would be formed. The mass percentage of water in a hydrate can be
determined by heating a known amount of a sample until complete dehydration is accomplished.
Hydrate salt Anhydraous salt + water
The dehydration step will result in a lower mass reading, so its possible to determine the
amount of water that is present within the salt sample.
Total mass of hydrate salt = mass of anhydrous salt + mass of water of hydration
The percent mass of water in the hydrate may also be easily calculated using a formula:

Percentage of water = mass of water loss x 100

mass of sample
APPARATUS
Crucible and lid, clay triangle, tripod stand, Bunsen burner, crucible tongs, and white tile.

CHEMICALS
6 M HNO3, 1 M HCl, barium chloride hydrate (BaCl2,xH2O) and compound A.
(Compound A can be any of the following:
LiSO4, H2O, MgSO4, 7H2O, SrCl2, 6H2O or CaSO4, 2H2O)

PROCEDURE
1. Obtain a crucible and lid. Clean the crucible and check for any stress cracks, fractures or
fissures before use (If the crucible is dirty, move the apparatus to hood and add 1-2 ml, of
6 M HNO3 and gently evaporate to dryness then inspect the crucible after cooling for any
defects. If no detects are found the crucible and lid should be supported on a clay
triangle).
2. Record the initial mass of the crucible and lid.
3. Heat the crucible gently for five minutes before heating with an intense flame until the
bottom of the crucible becomes red. Allow the crucible to cool on the clay triangle before
proceeding with the experiment.
4. Record the mass of the “fired” cool crucible and lid. Repeat Step 2 until you have two
crucible and lid mass readings that differ by no more than 10 mg or 0.010 g.
5. Add between 1.5 and 2.0 grams of hydrate salt to the crucible and record the combined
mass of the crucible, lid and salt.
6. Place the crucible with the sample on the clay triangle and remove the crucible lid to
allow the evolving water molecules to escape during heating.
7. Heat the sample slowly and gradually by intensifying the heat. Drastically heat the
sample at a high temperature for 10 minutes. Cover the crucible once removed from heat
and allow to cool at room temperature in desiceator. Record the mass of the crucible, lid
and anhydrous salt using the same balance as used in the earlier steps.
8. Reheat the sample for an additional two minutes with medium or high heat. Weigh the
combined mass of the crucible, lid and anhydrous salt and continue repeating this process
until two concurrent readings within 10 mg of other were obtained.
RESULTS

DISCUSSION

a) What did you expect to find, and why?

b) How did your results compare with those expected? State your expectations explicitly,
and back up your statements with a reference.

c) List any weakness in the experimental design and how these weaknesses may have
affected your results. Since your laboratory investigation was subject to limitations of
time and facilities, you did not do a “perfect” experiment. It is important for you to
understand and acknowledge this in a conclusion. Also, consider how you might be
able to get more specific and more reliable results by changing certain aspects of the
experiment.
QUESTION

1. Give the reason why the empty crucible should be heated before starting the
experiment?
The reason why the empty crucible should be heated before starting the experiment is to
remove moisture and get an accurate reading of its mass before a compound is added.

2. Why the process of heating hydrate compound should start slowly at first?
The reason why the process of heating hydrate compound should start slowly at first is to
avoid the salt from getting burnt and lessen the amount of water being vaporize.

3. What is the importance of percentage of composition of water in the hydrate

compounds?
The importance of percentage of composition of water in the hydrate compounds is to
help determine the empirical formula of the compound because the percentage
composition has the relative mass composition.

4. Give comments on your results. Discuss from the accuracy aspect of your results
compared to the theory.

CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
1. https://www.coursehero.com/file/47266373/Chemistry-Lab-Report-2docx/#:~:text=from
%20the%20crucible%20.-,2.,thesalt%20be%20dehydrated%20faster.

2. https://homework.study.com/explanation/why-is-it-necessary-to-heat-the-hydrate-gently-
at-first-and-then-more-strongly-only-after-most-of-the-water-has-been-driven-off.html

3. https://homework.study.com/explanation/do-you-think-it-is-more-useful-to-have-the-
percent-by-mass-of-water-in-hydrate-or-the-percentage-composition-assuming-that-you-
know-the-formula-for-the-associated-dehydrated-compound.html#:~:text=Water%20of
%20hydration%3A&text=The%20percent%20composition%20gives%20the,empirical
%20formula%20of%20a%20compound.