Catherine Wrzesien

Carissa Fockler
Due 11-18-2015
Diffusion Speeds of Gases
Introduction
Diffusion occurs when the random motion of particles cause frequent collisions and the
gases mix together. Grahams Law of diffusion explains that the rate of diffusion (mixing of
gases) is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass. This means that when the
molar mass is decreased the rate of diffusion will increase; while a heaver gas will diffuse more
slowly. The rate of diffusion and square root of molar mass counterbalance each other in this
way because it will take more energy and more time to move a heavier gas (Burdge, 451).
In this experiment we studied the relative diffusion speed of hydrogen chloride (HCl),
ammonia (NH3), and nitric acid (HNO3). Hydrogen chloride and ammonia were studied by
adding drops of each to separate cotton wads that were sitting inside the glass cups of
stoppers, simultaneously putting the stoppers inside each end of a tube and measuring the
distance between each compound and the new solid product inside the tube. The chemical
equation for this reaction is NH3(g) + HCl (g) NH4Cl (s). Nitric acid was observed in the same
way including being mixed in a tube with ammonia. The chemical equation for this reaction is
similar to the first one; NH3(g) + HNO3(g) NH4NO3(s). The relative diffusion rate for the
ammonia/hydrochloride mixture is 1.404 and for the ammonia/nitric acid mixture is 1.996. The
molar mass ratio that best represents these diffusion rates is (HCl molar mass/ NH3 molar
mass)1/2.
Procedure
Diffusion of NH3 and HCl: Obtained two glass tubes, 1 short and 1 large, cleaned and
dried both. Obtained two rubber stoppers with small glass cups attached to them and ensured
they fit snuggly into both tubes. Obtained several cotton balls and tore off a small wad to fill
each glass cup. Set up tube so it simply laid on the counter surface inside the hood. One
partner added a few drops of concentrated hydrogen chloride to one cotton wad; while, other
partner added a few drops of concentrated ammonia to the second cotton wad. Quickly and
simultaneously each partner put rubber stopper with compound filled cotton wad into each end
of the short tube. Both partners watched carefully for solid ammonium chloride product to form.
As soon as the product was seen, one partner marked on the tube with a permanent marker
exactly where it was located at first sight. The product moved slightly after forming but the initial
location was the one used in measurements. The location of each cotton wad was also marked
on the tube. The distances from each compound to the solid product was measured in
centimetersHCl to solid NH4Cl and NH3 to solid NH4Cl. This process was repeated until at
least three reproducible trials, distance differences of .5 com or smaller, were completed.
Between each trial the tube was cleaned and dried completely, used cotton wads were placed
into a beaker of water and a new cotton wad was placed into each glass cup inside stopper.
After reproducible trials were complete the relative measurements were averaged and entered
into spreadsheet for entire class. This entire process was repeated using the longer tube
instead of the short one.

Diffusion of NH3 and HNO3: The first half of the process from diffusion of NH3 and HCl
was repeated. The two differences in this part of the experiment is that HCl was replaced with
HNO3 and only a short tube was used. All averages of the distances were still again entered into
the mass spreadsheet and between each trial the tube was cleaned and each cotton wad was
replaced.
Results
When the cloudy ring product formed by the mixture of gaseous ammonia and gaseous
hydrochloride was initially seen the distance between the product and each cotton ball,
representing the beginning of each compound, was measured (Table 1). The data is also shown
in a plot, see Figure 1. Remember, the data for each trial in table 1 and figure 1 represents the
averages of each groups individual distance measurements.
Table 1. Distance that ammonia and hydrochloride traveled to the formed product during each
different trial.

Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Trial 6
Trial 7
Trial 8
Trial 9
Trial 10
Trial 11
Trial 12
Trial 13

Distance Traveled by NH3

(cm)
7.9
19.13
10.6
15.6
7.33
14.8
12.7
18.8
11.3
15.3
8.2
17.3
14.5

Distance Traveled by HCl

(cm)
4.4
10.9
8
10.3
5.83
12.2
8.25
10.3
8.3
11.2
6.2
12.7
9.1

20
18

f(x)==0.77
R
1.4x + 0.63

16
14
12

Distance Traveled by NH3 (cm) 10

8
6
4
2

10

12

14

Distance Traveled by HCl (cm)

Figure 1. Distance that ammonia and hydrochloride traveled to the formed product during each
trial with the slope formula and linear trendline.
Data analysis of distance traveled by ammonia and hydrochloride was completed by a
calculation of 6 different molar mass ratios and comparing them to the slope(1.404) shown in
figure 1. The ratios were all compared to the slope by calculating percent difference (Table 2).
Table 2. Molar mass ratios of ammonia and hydrochloride compared to the slope (1.404) from
distance traveled plot (Figure 1).
NH3 molar mass/ HCl molar
mass
HCl molar mass/ NH3 molar
mass
(NH3 molar mass/ HCl molar
mass)2
(HCl molar mass/ NH3 molar
mass)2
(NH3 molar mass/ HCl molar
mass)1/2
(HCl molar mass/ NH3 molar
mass)1/2

Value calculated
0.4671

% difference from slope

66.73%

2.141

-52.49%

0.2182

84.46%

4.584

-226.5%

0.6834

51.32%

1.463

-4.202%

The first molar mass ratio of NH3 molar mass/ HCl molar mass was calculated with the
following numbers: 17.03 g/mol/36.46 g/mol. The second was calculated by completing 36.46
g/mol/17.03 g/mol. Thirdly, (17.03 g/mol/ 36.46 g/mol)2 was calculated to find the (NH3 molar
mass/ HCl molar mass)2 ratio. The fourth ratio was found by calculating (36.46 g/mol/17.03
g/mol) 2. The last two ratios were calculated with the following corresponding numbers: (17.03
g/mol/ 36.46 g/mol)1/2 and (36.46 g/mol/ 17.03 g/mol)1/2. The percent difference from slope
calculations were completed with the following example formula: ((1.404-0.4671)/1.404)*100%.

In the second part of the experiment, the distances between the two reactants (ammonia
and nitric acid) and the formed cloudy ring were measured in centimeters (Table 3). The data is
also shown in a plot, see Figure 2. Remember, the data for each trial in table 3 and figure 2
represents the averages of each groups individual distance measurements.
Table 3. Distance that ammonia and nitric acid traveled to the formed product during each
different trial.

Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Trial 6
Trial 7
Trial 8
Trial 9
Trial 10
Trial 11
Trial 12
Trial 13
Trial 14
Trial 15
Trial 16
Trial 17
Trial 18
Trial 19
Trial 20
Trial 21
Trial 22
Trial 23
Trial 24

Distance Traveled by NH3

(cm)
8.1
10.1
18.2
14.4
10
15.1
13.3
12.14
15.16
10.50
9.63
10.50
15.4
13.2
10.57
16.2
12.7
22
18.9
14.3
11.1
11.7
17.2
11.5

Distance Traveled by HNO3

(cm)
4.2
3.3
3.7
5.1
4.1
3.6
3.1
3.48
4.95
2.33
3.43
4.27
4.9
4.8
3.8
5.1
4.3
8.2
7.1
5.2
3.4
3.9
5.6
4.4

24
22
20

f(x)==0.56
R
2x + 4.57

18
16

Distance Traveled by NH3 (cm) 14

12
10
8
6

Distance Traveled by HNO3 (cm)

Figure 2. Distance that ammonia and nitric acid traveled to the formed product during each trial
with the slope formula and linear trendline.
Based on the analysis used for the ammonia and hydrochloride part of the experiment
the following molar mass ratio was used again for the ammonia and nitric acid part; (HCl molar
mass/ NH3 molar mass)1/2. Nitric acid replaced the hydrochloride in this ratio; therefore the new
ratio is (HNO3 molar mass/ NH3 molar mass)1/2, resulting in a value of 1.924. The percent
difference between the HNO3/NH3 slope and new ratio, found by completing ((1.9971.924)/1.997)x100, is 3.655%.

Discussion
In the procedure, it was noted that in completing the three trials for each gaseous
mixtures diffusion speed the trials must be reproducible. In order to be reproducible each new
distance measured had to have been within .5 cm of each distance before itthis necessity
makes the individual results reliable by ensuring that the distances did not vary too much. The
class data are reliable because both r-squared values are .5 or higher and being closer to 1
makes an r-squared value most reliable or significant. The class data can also be considered
reliable because both plots have relatively strong linear trendlines. Even though both r-squared
values and both trendlines show that the class data are reliable, the data is more consistent for
the NH3/HCl trials than the NH3/HNO3 trials. This is clear in that the ammonia/hydrochloride rsquared value of 0.774 is closer to 1 than the r-squared of the ammonia/nitric acid of 0.562. It is
also clear in that the points on the ammonia/hydrochloride plot are shaped more like a line than
the ammonia/nitric acid plot points which are somewhat clumped together in one area. One
experimental error in that could justify for any fluctuation in the data is measurement error; some
students may not have measured the distance traveled exactly as others might have. A second

experimental error that may have occurred is due to human speed; when placing the chemically
soaked cotton wad into each tube end it is possible that the cotton pieces were not entered at
exactly the same time and this could have negatively affected the distance travelled. A final error
that may have occurred in this experiment is the amount of chemical placed into the cotton wad.
Different students entered different amounts of each chemical into the cotton pieceif the
desired amount of each chemical was specified the results may have turned out better.
Among the six ammonia/hydrochloride ratios that were compared to the corresponding
slope the (HCl molar mass/ NH3 molar mass)1/2 ratio best describes the slope because the
percent difference calculation shows that this ratio is closest to 0%. Based on the percent
difference, of 3.655%, calculated for ammonia/nitric acid this ratio also worked well for
ammonia/nitric acid. I think that the discrepancy between the two percent differences is due to
experimental error and not laws of physics.
In completing the data analysis for this experiment it was considered whether the
physical reason for observed molar mass ratio was that the two gases have the same
momentum or the same kinetic energy. The physics momentum equation was rearranged to
(VNH3/VHCl) = (MHCl/MNH3) which is comparable to the molar mass ratio of HCl/NH3. The physics
kinetic energy equation was rearranged to (VNH3/VHCl) = (MHCl/MNH3)1/2 which is comparable to the
molar mass ratio of (HCl/NH3)1/2. Based on the previous determination that the (HCl/NH3)1/2 ratio
is the best representative of the slope for each chemical mixture it can be inferred that it is the
conservation of energy that is important to the relative diffusion speeds of two gases. This can
be inferred because the kinetic energy equation contains the best represented molar mass ratio.
Conclusion
The experimental ratio NH3 molar mass/ HCl molar mass results in 0.4671 and the molar
mass ratio that best fits this is (HCl/NH3)1/2 resulting in 1.463. The experimental ratio (NH3 molar
mass/ HNO3 molar mass)1/2 results in 1.924 and the percent difference between the molar mass
ratio and the slope is 3.655%. Two diffusing gases have the same kinetic energy.