Alex T.

Zhao
Greg Kerr
IB Chemistry HL
November 12, 2012
Molar Volume of Hydrogen Gas
Purpose:
In this experiment the volume of hydrogen gas that is
produced when a small piece of magnesium reacts with hydrochloric
acid is measured. The volume of hydrogen gas will be measured at
room temperature and pressure, and the molar volume of hydrogen
under standard conditions of temperature and pressure will be
calculated.
Equipment:
Coil of copper wire (about 10 cm)
Hydrochloric acid [HCL] 3M (15mL)
Gas measuring tube or burette (50 mL).
One-hole stopper to fit the gas measuring tube
Magnesium ribbon (about 3 cm)
Stand and clamp
Graduated cylinder (250 mL)
Thermometer (-10110C)
Barometer
Beaker (500m mL)
Ruler
Procedure: See attached sheet
Data Collection:
Criteria
Length of Magnesium ribbon
Mass of 50 cm Mg ribbon
Room Temperature
Pressure
Vapor Pressure
Volume of hydrogen:

Value
3.10 0.05cm
0.90 0.05g
296 1K
102.03 0.05kPa
2.81 0.05kPa
0.057 0.005dm3

Processing of results, and questions

1. Mass of Magnesium used:
0.9g
x

50cm 3.1cm
2.79 50x

x 0.0558g Hence the mass of magnesium used is

0.0558grams
Number of mols of Magnesium:

IB Chemistry HL Lab 5

Nov 12, 2012

n(Mg)

m 0.0558g

0.002296...mol
M
24.3g

2. Calculating the pressure of H2

Patmosphere PH 2 PH 2O

102.03kPa PH 2 2.81kPa
PH 2 99.22kPa
3. Calculating what volume Hydrogen gas will occupy at STP:
V1P1 VstpPstp

T1
Tstp

0.057 99.22 Vstp 101.3

296
273
0.0191... Vstp 0.371...
Vstp 0.05149...dm3
Volume of Hydrogen gas at STP is 0.051dm3
4. Calculating the volume if used 1 mole of magnesium
n1 n2

V1 V2

0.002296... 1

0.05149... V2
1
0.04459...
V2
V2 22.4237...dm3
Volume of 1 mol of Hydrogen gas at STP is 22.4dm3
5. Equation of reaction:
Mg(s) 2HCl(aq) MgCl2(aq) H 2(g)
For each mol of Magnesium, 1 mol of hydrogen gas is formed,
or in other words, 2 mols of hydrogen atoms are formed.
6. From questions 4 and 5, we calculate the molar volume of
hydrogen at STP to be 22.4dm3. This is identical to the
established value of the molar volume of an ideal gas at STP.
7. In this experiment, we assumed that hydrogen gas is not
soluble in water at atmospheric pressure. This assumes that
all the hydrogen produced is captured in the tube. If hydrogen
gas was soluble in water, then our calculated molar volume of
hydrogen gas at STP will be inaccurate.

IB Chemistry HL Lab 5

Nov 12, 2012

8. If we used sulfuric acid instead of hydrochloric acid, then the

equation would be:
Mg(s) H 2 SO4 (aq) MgSO4 (aq) H 2(g)
From this equation, we see that each mol of Mg still yields 1
mol of hydrogen gas. Hence, there will not have been any
observable differences in the final result.

IB Chemistry HL Lab 5

Nov 12, 2012