AP fpd lab

v3

Dr. Breinan

Chemistry

Molar mass by freezing point depression

Introduction: Freezing point depression is a classic example of a colligative property. The freezing point of a solution will always be lower than that of the pure solvent. In fact the lowering of the freezing point is proportional to the concentration of solute. Specifically, Tf = -kfm, where Tf is the freezing point depression, kf is the molal freezing point constant characteristic of the solvent, and m is the molality of the solution. In this lab you will graph a cooling curve (temperature vs. time) for a known amount of pure molecular solvent (stearic acid) and a solution of a known amount of naphthalene (the active ingredient in moth balls) in the solvent. The graph will allow you to determine the freezing point of each, and therefore the freezing point depression. Knowledge of the freezing point depression constant of stearic acid will allow you to determine the molality of the solution and the molar mass of naphthalene. Objectives: - To determine the molar mass of a molecular solute by freezing point depression. - To observe freezing curves for a pure solvent and a solution Materials: stearic acid, naphthalene, large test tube, hot plate, 600 mL and 400 mL beakers, thermometer. CAUTION: * Do not tip the hot water bath. Be careful not to get splashed by the hot water boiling over. * Be careful of the hot plate surface! * Do not stir forcefully with a thermometer. Stir slowly in a circular motion without letting the thermometer clank against the glass (to prevent breakage). Use a special stirrer insert if available. TIP: * Do not get any of the chemical in the beaker... it is hard to clean out. Directions: 1. Mass a large test tube by standing it up in a 150 mL beaker. Fill the tube to within an inch of the top with stearic acid. Mass the tube again to determine the mass of stearic acid. 2. * Your thermometer must only be placed in the stearic acid.. NOT in water! * Clamp the tube to a ring stand and place the tube in a water bath on a hot plate as shown in Figure 1. Heat the tube on high until all of the stearic acid melts and the temperature reaches 75-80C. It helps to carefully stir the acid as it is melting. Do not overheat (turn the hot plate down a little as you approach 80C). While heating measure the exact mass of about 2 g of naphthalene for your second trial. Set the hot plate so the bath will remain at approximately 80C.

thermometer

test tube with stearic acid

600 mL beaker

3. Keep your thermometer in the tube. Raise the tube out of the water bath and off to the side by raising the clamp on the ringstand. Stir constantly and record the temperature of the stearic acid every 30 seconds as it cools. Allow the cooling curve to reach its plateau. Once you are sure you have reached the plateau, place the tube in a 400 mL beaker full of tap water

hot plate

ring stand and clamp

Figure 1: Experimental setup (heating the tube)

AP fpd lab

v3

Dr. Breinan

Chemistry

to hasten the cooling. Continue until the temperature drops below the plateau level and falls continually for 4-5 straight readings... this will probably take about 20 minutes. As the substance freezes, it may get hard to stir with the thermometer...if so stop stirring! Never try to force a thermometer out of a frozen substance.

4. Add the naphthalene sample to your tube and re-heat the tube to about 80C. Make sure the naphthalene is mixed in to make a uniform solution. Repeat the measurement of the cooling curve, however this time air cool only (no cold water bath) and simply stop once you are sure you have been on the flattest portion of the curve for about 5 minutes. 12 minutes should be sufficient. Keep your hot water on the hot plate (set on low) to help clean the tube when you are done! 5. Re-heat your sample (hot plate on high) so you can remove the thermometer. Immediately wipe the thermometer with a green scrubber. It is difficult to remove the acid from the test tube. First pour as much as possible into the waste container. To do this, make sure the acid is completely melted and make sure the waste container is right next to your setup. Remove the tube from the clamp to prevent breakage! As quickly as possible, remove the tube from the hot water and pour it into the waste container. Some acid will stick on the tube and can be cleaned off as described in the next step. 6. If you got any stearic acid on your beaker, clean it off with hot water and a green scrubber sponge. Cleaning the test tube will be difficult. Wear gloves and also use hot hands to help in holding the test tube as you fill it with hot water from your beaker. Use your wide test tube brush on the inside and the green scrubber on the outside. Repeat the inside cleaning at least one more time. 7. Check both the beaker and the tube in to your teacher.

Processing: (on a separate sheet) 1. Use the following data to find Kf for stearic acid: Assume the addition of 13.66 g of lactic acid (C3H6O3) to 115 g of stearic acid depresses the freezing point by 5.9C. 2. Present your data. For this lab you need not present a full list of time-temperature data, but may instead show only a graph. You may place both graphs on the same sheet for convenience. Show how you use the graphs to determine the freezing points for the pure solvent and the solution (in other words indicate on the graph itself how/where you obtained the freezing points and put the values on the graph!) Remember to show cooling with a smooth curve and a straight line for freezing. 3. Calculate the molar mass of naphthalene based on your data. Look up the correct value and determine your percent error. 4. If the naphthalene was impure, what would this mean about your calculated molar mass (too high, too low, or just right?)

Extra credit: Research and explain the shape of the cooling portion of the curve... this curved portion represents how cooling of an object occurs when in contact with a heat sink of constant temperature. Be sure to state your sources. Hint: how is this related to chapter 11?