Experiment 2: Determination of the valency of magnesium

Objective

To study the quantitative relationship between the amount of reactants and products of a reaction. To
investigate the reaction of magnesium with hydrochloric acid. To identify the unknown X value in the chemical
equation between magnesium and hydrochloric acid. To determine the valency of magnesium.

Introduction

Stoichiometry is the study of the quantitative relationship between amounts of reactants and products of
a reaction. Stoichiometry can be used to calculate the amounts of products with given the reactants and
percent yield. In this experiment, a known starting mass of magnesium and the measured collection of
hydrogen gas will be used to determine the reaction stoichiometry.
Magnesium is used to reacts with hydrochloric acid in order to produce hydrogen gases. One of the
purpose of the experiments is to determine the value of X in the following equation:
Mg (s) + X HCl (aq)  MgClx (aq) + X/2 H2 (g)
The mass of magnesium is measured by the analytical balance before used in the experiment. A known
amount of magnesium is reacted with a large amount of excess hydrochloric acid and hence the
magnesium acts as a limiting agent in the particular reaction. As the amount of HCl is used in excess,
this can ensure that all the magnesium will be reacted completely in the reaction. The formation of
MgClx and H2 are depends on the amount of magnesium used. The comparison of the amount of
hydrogen gas produced with the amount of magnesium consumed will enable the X value to be
determined.

Apparatus
50ml burette, 25ml pipette, retort stand, electrical balance, watch glass, beaker, gauze, funnel, glass rod,
and thermometer.

Materials
Magnesium ribbon, 0.5M hydrochloric acid, distilled water and sand paper.
Procedure
Upside down the burette and determine the volume of unmarked space in a clean and dry 50ml burette
by pipetting 25ml of water into the vertically clamped burette. Then note the burette reading, drain the
burette and repeat. Leave the water in the burette and check whether leaks occur. A piece of magnesium
is cut off by scissors to a smaller size and is cleaned with sand paper. Tare a watch glass on the balance
and accurately weigh between 0.03g and 0.036g of the magnesium on the watch glass. Then is covered
with gauze. A filter funnel with short stem (1cm-1.5cm) is inverted. The filter funnel is placed on the
watch glass over the magnesium. The beaker is filled with tap distilled water until the level is
approximately above the end of the funnel stem by 0.5cm-1.0cm. The burette is completely filled with
0.5M HCl and invert it (with using thumb to cover the open of the burette) and place it in the water in
the beaker. Place the end of the burette over the stem of the funnel, ensuring that no air enters and clamp
it into position. Remove the excess of water with a pipette until the level is just above the stem if the
funnel. Add about 100ml of 0.5M of HCl to the beaker, use a glass rod to stir the water to ensure
complete mixing such that the HCl reaches the magnesium. This may be helped by tapping the watch
glass gently with a glass rod. Stir the solution to initiate the reaction and then do not stir further so that
the reaction proceeds unaided. At the completion of the reaction, tap the watch glass gently to dislodge
any gas bubbles.

Result and calculation:

Mass of magnesium ribbon= 0.0133g
Initial reading of burette = 50 cm3
Final reading of burette = 24 cm3
Volume of unmarked place = 3.9 cm3
Total volume of H2 collected = 29.90 cm3

Mg (s) + X HCl (aq)  MgClx (aq) + X/2 H2 (g)

Mole of magnesium = 0.0133g/24 g mol-1

= 5.472 x 10-4 mol
Theoretical mole of hydrogen gas = 0.0299 dm3 / 24dm3 mol-1
= 1.246 x 10-3 mol

Number of moles of magnesium : number of mole of hydrogen gas

5.472 x 10-4 mol : 1.246 x 10-3 mol

1:2

Thus, X/2 = 2
X=4
Discussion
Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal which is categorized to the Group 2 element in the periodic table.
All the alkaline metal reacts with acid will produce hydrogen gas. Since the HCl is added in excess,
hence the magnesium is the limiting reactant in this reaction. Limiting reactant is the reactant which
restricts the amount of products generated in the reaction. In this situation, the magnesium is used up
completely to react with the excess hydrochloric acid. (Cann, 2015)
From the calculation, the value of X in the chemical equation between magnesium and hydrochloric
acid was determined. The value of X is 4. So that, the complete chemical reaction for magnesium and
acid is Mg (s) + 4 HCl (aq)  MgCl4 (aq) + 2H2 (g).
But the actual equation is Mg (s) + 2HCl (aq)  MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g). Based on the Las of Conservation
of Matter, matter can be neither created nor destroyed. An equation must have the same number of
atoms of the same kind on both sides of the equation. Hence, 5.472 x 10-4 mol of magnesium should be
used up completely to react with 1.0944 x 10-3 mol of acid to produce 5.472 x 10-4 mol of magnesium
chloride and hydrogen gas.
The reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid is an exothermic reaction. This reaction releases
heat energy from the reaction to its surrounding which caused the solution is the beaker become hotter.
The temperature cannot be detected significantly because the rise in temperature was just slight
different. The temperature is only increased by few degree Celsius due to the large specific heat capacity
of the water.
The wrong value of X, can be cause by the leaking of the burette. Although had already check whether
leaks occur before the experiment start but the water molecule is much larger than the H2 gas. Therefore,
the leaking of gas may occur. Other than that, before the burette been invert into the beaker make sure
that there has no air bubble tap below the gauge, this will affect the reading. Lastly, when having
reading for the starting point or end point make sure that you have a correct eye level to prevent parallax
error.

The temperature is taken after 20 minutes after adding HCl because heat will be produced during the
formation of Magnesium chloride. The ideal gas law equation (PV=nRT) had clearly show that the
number of moles is inversely proportional to the temperature. So we need to wait the temperature
stabilize first before we measure, because it will affect our number of moles of hydrogen gas that
evolved.
PV=nRT
n = PV/RT
= 101325 x (29.9 x 10-6 )/ 8.314 x 298
= 1.22 x 10-3 mol
Boyle's Law stated that the volume of gases is inversely proportional to the pressure. Equation V 1/P
Charles's Law stated that the volume of gases is directly proportional to temperature. Equation V T
Avogadro's Law stated that the volume of gases is directly proportional to number of moles. Equation V
n
By combining this three ideal gas law, we can get the equation of
PV = nRT
We know that the standard pressure is 1 atm which is equal to 101325 Pa, and the absolute temperature
is 273K.
V = (1 mol) (8.3142 J/K.mol) (273.15K) / (1.013x105) = 0.0224 m3 = 22.4 L (shown)
If the hydrogen gas leaks out, the volume of hydrogen gas collected will be lesser than the actual volume
of the hydrogen gas evolved. Hence, our calculation of number of moles of hydrogen gas will be
affected because volume is directly proportional to number of moles.

Conclusion
According to the law of conversation of matter, the mass of reactants is always equal to the mass of
products. The 'x' value in the equation is 2 and the valency of magnesium also is 2 as well. Thus, 2
moles of HCl (at least) is needed to react completely with 0.0133g of magnesium in order to produce
13.43 cm3 of hydrogen gases.