LAB REPORT

RELATING MOLES TO COEFFICIENTS OF A CHEMICAL EQUATION

PURPOSE
Find the ratio of moles of a reactant to moles of a product of a chemical equation. Relate this ratio to the
coefficients of these substances in the balanced equation for the reaction.

DATA & CALCULATIONS

DATA COLLECTED
Variable
mass of iron filings
mass of paper towel
mass of paper + copper
visual observations
Table 1. The measurements taken for the Lab.
Value
2.24 g
3.89 g
6.32 g
dark, smells awful; opaque bottom layer, with a more transparent upper layer forming;
purple-brown residue is on the sides of the beaker, and as the copper dust settles to
the bottom, a metallic film is left on top. The bottom is now covered in reddish-brown
precipitate, with a nasty greenish liquid on top.

CALCULATIONS

MASS OF COPPER PRODUCED

NUMBER OF MOLES OF COPPER PRODUCED

NUMBER OF MOLES OF IRON REACTED

Jonathan Sterling
Jonathan Sterling

WHOLE NUMBER RATIO OF MOLES OF IRON TO MOLES OF COPPER

Variable Value
mass of copper produced 2.43 g
number of moles of copper produced .038 mol
number of moles of iron reacted .040 mol
whole number ratio of moles of iron to moles of copper 1:1
Table 2. Contains the calculations for the Lab.

CONCLUSIONS AND QUESTIONS

1. How does the ratio found in the fourth calculation compare with the ratio of the coefficients of
the same two metals in the balanced equation for the reaction?
The balanced equation is ; the coefficients for each
part of the equation are all “1”; therefore, any of the substances (iron, copper(II) sulfate, iron(II)
sulfate, copper) would have a 1:1 ratio with any other one of the substances.
2. How many moles of copper(II) sulfate are used to produce the solution in this experiment?
Why is this amount of copper sulfate said to be “in excess”?

Therefore, .05 moles of copper(II) sulfate were used to produce the solution in this experiment.
When it says “in excess”, it means that there is some of it left after the reaction (not all used up).
3. Explain why the iron is the limiting factor in this experiment.
For a specific quantity of iron to react to form iron(II) sulphate and copper, there is specific
quantity of copper(II) sulphate wherewith it needs to react. Anything else will be left over.
Because the quantity of copper(II) sulphate needed for the reaction was less than what was
available, it was the iron that was the limiting factor in this experiment; had there been less
copper(II) sulphate than needed for 2.24 grams iron, the copper(II) sulphate would have been the
limiting factor.
4. A general description of the single replacement reaction in this experiment is:
. Give a balanced equation for another
of this type of single replacement reaction.

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Jonathan Sterling

5. Give general descriptions of two other types of single replacement reactions. Using balanced
equations, give a specific example of each type.
General Description Example
replacement of a metal in
a compound by another
metal
replacement of hydrogen
in water by a metal
Table 3. Two other types of single replacement reactions.

6. Consider the reaction: . If 3 moles of

copper metal react, how many moles of silver metal will be produced?
6 moles of silver metal should be produced.