Scribd
Upload
5 views

Lab Report 2

Organic Chemistry Lab Report

Uploaded by

Darling A.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
5 views

Lab Report 2

Organic Chemistry Lab Report

Uploaded by

Darling A.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Darling Arias

Determining Melting Points to Identify Organic Compounds and


Study Impurity Effects
Data Analysis

Purpose
This experiment aimed to determine the melting points of pure and impure compounds,
specifically urea and trans-cinnamic acid, and identify an unknown substance using melting
point determination and the mixed melting point technique.
Experimental Data
 Melting point of compounds urea and trans-cinnamic acid:

Trial Urea Trans-cinnamic acid

1 131 C° - 134°C 132°C - 133°C


2 132°C - 133°C 132°C - 134°C

 Melting point of impure compounds (1:1 urea and trans-cinnamic acid


mixture):

Trial Mixture (1:1 urea and trans-cinnamic acid)

1 97°C - 105°C
2 97°C - 105°C

 Melting point of unknown substance (Unknown A):

Trial Mixture (1:1 urea and trans-cinnamic acid)

1 158°C - 164°C
2 157°C - 159°C
3 157°C - 159°C

 Melting point of impure unknown substance (1:1 mixture of Unknown A and


salicylic acid):

Trial Mixture (1:1 Unknown A and salicylic acid)

1 158°C - 159°C
2 158°C - 159°C
Darling Arias

Observations
Physical characteristics of all pure and impure compounds:
 Pure urea: White, crystalline, odorless solid.
 Pure trans-cinnamic acid: White, crystalline powder with a faint sweet odor.
 Impure mixture (1:1 urea and trans-cinnamic acid): White crystalline
powder, slightly less uniform than pure compounds.
 Unknown A (pure): White crystalline solid with no detectable odor.
 Impure mixture (1:1 Unknown A and salicylic acid): White crystalline
powder with slight uniformity, like pure salicylic acid.

Results and Discussion


The melting point range for pure urea (131°C - 134°C) and pure trans-cinnamic acid (132°C -
134°C) aligned closely with the literature values, indicating their purity. The melting point range
for the 1:1 urea and trans-cinnamic acid mixture (97°C - 105°C) was significantly lower and
broader, demonstrating the impact of impurities on melting point depression.
The unknown substance, Unknown A, had a melting point range of 157°C - 159°C, closely
matching salicylic acid's melting point. To confirm the identity of Unknown A, a mixed melting
point test was performed by combining Unknown A with pure salicylic acid in a 1:1 ratio. The
mixture had a melting point range of 158°C - 159°C, which was sharp and consistent with the
pure salicylic acid, confirming that the unknown was indeed salicylic acid.

Conclusion
The experiment successfully determined the melting points of pure urea, pure trans-
cinnamic acid, and their 1:1 mixture, showing the effect of impurities on melting point
depression. The unknown substance, Unknown A, was identified as salicylic acid by comparing
melting points and confirmation via the mixed melting point technique. The data collected
supported the hypothesis that the unknown was salicylic acid.

You might also like