2014 NJIT RET Program

NJIT RET Summer program 2014

Lesson Module

MODULE TOPIC: Two Methods of Determining the Concentration of Soluble

Compounds or Analytes..

LESSON ONE TOPIC: Colorimetric Analysis of Copper Ore

Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
 Correlate the absorbance measured through the colorimetric analysis to the
concentration of copper by plotting absorbance versus concentration.
 Determine the concentration of an unknown solution using a standard graph made by
plotting absorbance versus concentration (M) using the Beer-Lambert law.

Exclusive Note to Teacher: Sample of powdered ore - A simulated copper ore can be
made up with a minimum of 30% by mass of copper (II) carbonate, CuCO3(s), mixed
with sand.

Standard (s)
NGSS: 5-PS1-3. Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on
their properties.
CCSS-Math: 8.SP.2. Know that straight lines are widely used to model relationships
between two quantitative variables.

Introduction:

An ore is mixture of a metal or a mineral with impurities or waste material. In order to

find out if a mine is worth exploring, a sample of the ore is taken to a laboratory to
determine the percent mineral of interest through colorimetric method. Colorimetric
measurement of copper will be done using the Vernier colorimeter.

Figure 1 – Copper Ore.

Colorimeter is a device that is used to measure the absorbance of particular wavelength of

light by a specific solution. This device is commonly used to measure the concentration

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of a solute in a solution using the Beer-Lambert Law, which states that the concentration
of a solute is directly proportional to its absorbance.

A = -log T = εbc Beer-Lambert Law

A= Absorbance
b = The path length through the sample
c = concentration

ε = Proportionality Constant
Figure 2 - A simplified diagram of a colorimeter
http://www.docbrown.info/page07/SSquestions/colorimeter.gif
Prior to determining the concentration of the mineral, a standard graph must be
generated. This graph indicates the relationship between the absorbance and
concentration of a series of known solution (standards) as shown in the figure above.

To measure the amount of absorbance of a particular wavelength of light, the sample is

poured into a cuvette (shown below).

Figure 3- Cuvette used with the colorimeter.

http://www.capitolscientific.com/core/media/media.nl?id=54179&c=1250437&h=9ea46b
90a594c5b0dc28

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The handling of the cuvettes is extremely important. Any stains, smudges, or scratches
will cause varying results. Thus, it is essential to follow several rules in dealing with
cuvettes:

1. Do not handle the lower portion of a cuvette through which the light beam will pass.
a. Beaker (250 cm3)
b. Beaker (100 cm3)
c. Volumetric flask (100 cm3)
d. Volumetric flask (50 cm3)
e. Small filter funnel and filter paper, to fit volumetric flask
f. Plastic weighing dish (boat)
g. Measuring cylinder (50 cm3)
h. Measuring cylinder (10 cm3)
i. Access to a balance (weighing to the nearest 0.1 g)
j. Computer with Vernier logger pro software
k. Vernier Colorimeter
l. Micropipette, 1-5 ml

2. Always rinse the cuvette with several portions of the solution before taking a
measurement.

3. Wipe off any liquid drops or smudges on the lower half of the cuvette with a clean
Kimwipe or other lens paper before placing the cuvette in the instrument. Never wipe
the cuvette with paper towels or handkerchiefs. Inspect the cuvette to ensure that no
bubbles are clinging to the inside walls. If you observe any trapped air bubble, just
tap it gently to push them up into the air.

4. When inserting a cuvette into the sample holder:

a. To avoid any possible scratching of the cuvette in the optical path, insert the
cuvette with the index line facing toward the front of the instrument.
b. After the cuvette is seated, line up the index lines exactly.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
 Students have studied the electromagnetic radiation and the relationship between
speed of light, frequency and wavelength.
 Students have received a lesson on Beer-Lambert Law.
 Students know the unit of solution concentration in Molarity.

Health & Safety Rule:

1. Wear eye protection throughout.
2. Wear gloves, dilute sulfuric acid, H2SO4 (aq) is corrosive.

Chemicals:
o Purified (demonized or distilled) water
o Dilute sulfuric acid, approx. 2 M (CORROSIVE), 40 cm3

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o Sample of powdered ore (see technical notes) (HARMFUL, DANGEROUS FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT), 10 g
o Copper (II) sulfate solution, 1 M, 25 cm3 (HARMFUL, DANGEROUS FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT)

Apparatus:
 Eye protection
 Each student or pair of students will require:
 Access to a printer to print the graph

Procedures:
Part I – Standard Solution Preparation and Measurement
1. Using the copper (II) sulfate solution provided, prepare six 50 ml solution of
diluted copper (II) sulfate using 50 ml volumetric flasks, according to the following
table. Ensure the solutions are well mixed. Calculate their concentrations in Molarity
and record them in the table below.

Volumetric Flask # 1 2 3 4 5

Volume of copper (II) 30 24 20 16 10

sulfate solution (mL)
Volume of purified water 20 26 30 34 40
(mL)
Calculated Concentration
(M)

Observed Absorbance

- Table of Standard Solutions.

2. Attach the Vernier colorimeter to the computer, open up the logger pro software and
set the wavelength to 620 or 630 nm and let the colorimeter warm up for 15 minutes
prior to any measurement.
3. Rinse out a cuvette with deionized (DI) water and fill it 2/3 with DI water. This will
be your “blank” solution. Wipe off the outside of the cuvette with a kimwipe, and
place it in the spectrophotometer. Close the sample cover. Follow the steps to “zero”
the spectrophotometer. Water does not absorb light in the visible region of the
electromagnetic spectrum, so it should measure zero absorbance. You will adjust the
instrument so that it actually does read zero absorbance with the water in the sample
chamber.
4. Dump out the water from the cuvette, then rinse it thoroughly three times with small
portions of the standard copper solution that you made. Each time, discard the rinse
solution into a waste beaker. The purpose of this step is to make sure that you don’t
dilute the concentration of the solution you made with any drops of water still

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adhering to the inside of the cuvette. This way, you can be sure that the solution you
are measuring the absorbance of is still the same concentration as the solution you
made. To summarize the steps: rinse the cuvette three times with the first solution, fill
it with the solution, wipe off the outside of the cuvette with a kimwipe, and then
measure the absorbance of this solution.
5. Repeat this procedure for each solution to be tested and record the absorbance in the
table above.
Note: Rinse the cuvette three times with the same solution prior to each measurement.

Part II - Preparation of the Ore or unknown sample

1. Weigh out as exactly as possible 10 g of the ground ore and transfer it into a 250
cm3 volumetric flask.
2. Add 40 cm3 of the dilute sulfuric acid a little at a time, allowing the effervescence to
subside between additions.
3. When the reaction has finished filter the mixture into the volumetric flask.
4. Add purified water until the total volume of liquid in the flask is exactly 100 cm3.
5. Measure the absorbance of the unknown solution using the logger pro software at 620
or 630 nm.

Result & Data Analysis:

1. Calculate the concentration (in M) of the standard copper solution you made in Part1.
2. Calculate the concentration of copper ions for the unknown in Part 2.
3. Using the logger Pro software make a graph of absorbance at 620 nm vs.
concentration of copper (II) ions in units of Molarity. You will have 5 points, plus the
origin (0,0). Since the absorbance of a solution containing no copper ions should be
zero, (0,0) is one of the points to plot. Follow the graphing guidelines. Draw the best
straight line among the points.
4. Using the straight-line equation from the graph, determine the concentration of
copper ions in your unknown solution from its absorbance at 620 nm.
5. From the concentration of your unknown and the volume of the solution, determine
the number of moles of copper present in the unknown sample. Don’t forget to take
into account any dilutions you made.
6. Determine the mass of CuSO4•5H2O present in your unknown sample. Calculate the
percent purity of the sample. (% Purity = mass of compound present / mass of entire
sample x 100).
7. When done, report you calculated value and ask your teacher for the actual
8. % Purity to calculate your percent error.
9. Answer the following questions and hand in your typed report in one week.

Post Laboratory Questions: (20 Points)

1. (2 Points) When preparing the standard solution in Part 1, why can’t we just put the
solid in the flask, fill it with water up to the mark, and then mix.

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2. (2 Points) Why is it necessary to rinse out the cuvette with the solution to be used in it
before making our measurements?

3. (2 Points) Why must we use the same cuvette for all measurements?

4. (2 Points) What is the purpose of “zeroing” the spectrophotometer using a “blank”

solution (water)?

5. (2 Points) What assumptions are we making in the calculations and analysis for this lab?

6. (2 Points) Prepare a graph showing the relationship between concentration and

absorbance for a solution.

7. (8 Points) 6.019 g of an unknown copper compound was dissolved in 100.0 mL

solution. The absorbance of this solution was 0.477 at 620 nm. Use your Beer’s law
graph to determine the concentration of copper ions in this solution. Then determine
the mass percent copper in the copper compound.

Grading:
1. Follow the given rubric to write your report. (70 Points)
2. Post laboratory questions (20 Points)
3. % Error (10 Points)
Point deducted based on percent error:
1. Percent error 0-5% = 0
2. Percent error 6-11% = 3
3. Percent error 12-20% = 5
4. Percent error 21-25 = 8
5. Percent error > 26 = 10

Assessment:
• Students calculate the concentration (in M) of the standard copper solution.

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• Students plot graphs (scatter plot) of absorbance (A) vs. Concentration (M) of the
standards solutions of CuSO4.5H2O using logger pro software.
• Students interpolate the concentration of the unknown solution of copper ore
dissolved in sulfuric acid using the linear fit of the scattered graphs.
• Students calculate the Percent purity of CuSO4•5H2O in the ore using the actual
given value.
• Students answer the post laboratory questions.
• Students write a formal lab report following the provided rubric incorporating all
the above items.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
under Grant No. 1301071
Copyright © 2014 by the Center for Pre-College Programs, of the New Jersey Institute of
Technology. All Rights Reserved.
Supporting Program: Center for Pre-College Programs, at the New Jersey Institute of
Technology
Contributors
Mina Armani, Union City High School, Union City, NJ, Primary Author
Howard Kimmel, Levelle Burr-Alexander, John Carpinelli - Center for pre-College
Programs, NJIT.
Dr. M. Azad, Dr. B. Patel, Dr. R. Dave - C-SOPS, NJIT

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