Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 1

Experiment 2: Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid

Gamboa, Kurl Vincent P.

Goma, Kathleen C.
Lapina, Ramon Benedict L.
Rafols, Josh I.
Viola, Vince K.
CM011-L
Mapua University
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 2

Abstract:
A volatile liquid is a molecular substance that has low boiling points and relatively low
molar masses. In this experiment, we are asked to measure or calculate the molar mass of an
unknown volatile liquid. To do so, we were advised to use the Dumas Method by John Dumas,
since it is recognized as an analytical procedure that results to a fairly accurate determination of
molar mass. Through the process (Trial 1 and Trial 2), we noticed that there are changes to the
measurements, the initial and final ones in terms of temperature and mass. The mass of the dry
flask decreased a little from 61.1g to 61.09g; the temperature of the boiling water also decreased
from 98℃ to 97℃. Lastly, our calculated molar mass of the unknown substance is 40.39 g/mol.
Introduction
Substance can be characterized by using its molar mass. Molar mass has many different
methods to calculate it. The choice of methods is depending on the properties of the compound. If
the substance is a volatile liquid, the common method that can be used is the ideal gas law. It can
easily become gas because it is a volatile liquid. In this experiment, we took the measurements of
its volume, pressure and temperature so that the ideal gas law can be used in calculating of number
of moles of the substance. The remaining gas can be condensed by using cool water bath and
weighed to calculate the molar mass.

Materials and Chemicals:

Erlenmeyer Flask
Bunsen Burner
Wire Gauze
Clamp
Injection
Graduated Cylinder
Barometer
Weighing scale
Boiling Chips
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 3

Procedure
A boiling water bath of measured temperature is used to vaporize an unknown liquid in a flask.
The volume of the flask is measured by filling the flask with water. As the flask is open to the
atmosphere, you will record a barometric pressure.
Prepare a boiling water bath
1. Prepare the flask for the sample..Clean a 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask and dry it either in a
drying oven or by allowing it to air-dry. Do not wipe it dry or heat it over a direct flame.
Cover the dry flask with a small piece of aluminum foil (Figure 12.1) and secure it with a
rubber band. Determine the mass (±0.001 g) of the dry flask, aluminum foil, and rubber
band.
2. Place the sample in the flask. Record the number of the unknown liquid on the Report
Sheet. Transfer about 5 mL of the unknown liquid into the flask; again cover the flask
with the aluminum foil and secure the foil with a rubber band. You do not need to
conduct a mass measurement. With a pin, pierce the aluminum foil several times.
3. Prepare a boiling water bath. Half-fill a 400-mL beaker with water. Add one or two
boiling chips to the water. The heat source may be a hot plate or a Bunsen flame—
consult with your instructor. Secure a thermometer (digital or glass) to measure the
temperature of the water bath.

B. Vaporize the Sample

1. Place the flask/sample in the bath. Lower the flask/sample into the bath and secure it with
a utility clamp. Be certain that neither the flask nor the clamp touches the beaker wall. Adjust
the water level high on the neck of the flask (Figure 12.2).1 Before proceeding, have your
instructor approve your apparatus.
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 4

2. Heat the sample to the temperature of boiling water. Gently heat the water until it reaches
a gentle boil. (Caution: Most unknowns are flammable; use a hot plate or moderate flame for
heating.) When the liquid in the flask and/or the vapors escaping from the holes in the
aluminum foil are no longer visible, continue heating for another 5 minutes. Read and record
the temperature of the boiling water.
3. Measure the mass of the flask/sample. Remove the flask and allow it to cool to room
temperature. Sometimes the remaining vapor in the flask condenses; that’s okay. Dry the
outside of the flask and determine the mass (±0.001 g, use the same balance!) of the flask,
aluminum foil, rubber band, and the remaining vapor. Record the mass on the Report Sheet.
4. Do it again and again. Repeat the experiment for Trials 2 and 3. You only need to transfer
another 5 mL of liquid to the flask.

C. Determine the Volume and Pressure of the Vapor

1. Measure the volume of the flask. Fill the empty 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask to the brim
with water. Measure the volume (±0.1 mL) of the flask by transferring the water to a 50- or
100-mL graduated cylinder. Record the total volume.
2. Record the pressure of the vapor in the flask. Find the barometer in the laboratory. Read
and record the atmospheric pressure in atmospheres, using all certain digits (from the labeled
calibration marks on the barometer) plus one uncertain digit (the last digit which is the best
estimate between the calibration marks); that is, to the correct number of significant figures
D. Calculations
1. Molar mass from data. Calculate the molar mass of your unknown for each of the three
trials.
2. Determine the standard deviation and the relative standard deviation (%RSD). Refer to
Data Analysis, C and D and calculate the standard deviation and the %RSD for the molar
mass of your unknown from your three trials.
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 5

Results:
A. Preparing the Sample
1. Mass of dry flask, oil, and rubber band (g) 74.22 g
B. Vaporize the Sample
2. Temperature of boiling water (°C) 98.7 °C
3. Mass of dry flask, foil, rubber band, and vapor (g)
C. Determine the volume and Pressure of the Vapor
1. Volume of 125 mL flask (L) 0.152 L
2. Atmospheric pressure (torr, atm) 752.0989 torr
D. Calculations
1. Moles of vapor (mol) 4.972 x 10-3 mol
2. Mass of vapor (g) 0.199 g
3. Molar mass of vapor(g/mol) 40.39 g/mol
The molar mass of the vapor was determined to be 46.5g/mol and 43.1 g/mol respectively.
a. What is the average molar mass of the vapor?
- 46.5 g/mol +40.39 g/mol + 43.19 g/mol = 43.33 g/mol
b. What are the standard deviation and the relative standard deviation (%RSD) for the molar
mass of the vapor?
- SD= √(46.5-43.33)2 + (40.39-43.33)2 + (43.1-43.33)2 = 3.06
c. If the atmospheric pressure of the flask is assumed to be 760 torr in question 3, what is
the reported molar mass of the vapor?
- nvapor = (1 atm) (0.152L) / (0.08206) (371.81 k)= 39.95 g/mol
d. What is the percent error caused by the error in the recording of the pressure of the
vapor?
- 1.09 %

Trial 1 Trial 2
A. Preparing the Sample
Mass of dry flask, foil, and rubber band (g) 61.1 g 61.09 g

B. Vaporize the Sampl

Temperature of boiling water (ºC, K) 98 ºC 97 ºC
Mass of dry flask, foil, rubber band, and vapor (g) 61. 4 g 61.41 g.
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 6

C. Determine the Volume and Pressure of the

Vapor
Volume of 125-mL flask (L) .15 L .153 L
_____ + _____ + _____ = total volume
Atmospheric pressure (torr, atm) 755 torr, 0.9934 atm

D. Calculations
Moles of vapor 4.89 x 10-3 mol 5.00 x 10-3mol
Mass of vapor .3 g .32g
Molar mass of compound 61.35 g/mol 64 g/mol
Average molar mass 62.89 g/mol
Standard deviation of molar mass 1.87
Relative standard deviation of molar mass 2.98 %

Discussion:

When Chemists try to synthesize and discover new compounds, they have to analyze the
following information: physical properties such as melting point, color, density and elemental
composition. Essentially, the molar mass must be determined first hand.

To measure the molar mass, there are different types of analytical methods like the use of
an osmometer when measuring the molar mass of natural drugs, proteins, enzymes and other
large molecules. In addition to that, smaller molecules' molar mass is measured through the
melting point change of a solvent wherein the molecule is usable and soluble. Mass spectrometry
is also one method of not just getting the molar mass but also the structure of high molar mass
compounds in the biochemical field. In conclusion, the choice of analysis of these compounds is
dependent on its properties.
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 7

In this experiment however, we will be focusing on volatile liquids which are molecular
substances with low boiling points and relatively low molar masses. In the experiment that we
did, we used the Dumas method of analysis (John Dumas, 1800-1884) to provide a fairly
accurate molar mass.

In this analytical procedure, the liquid is vaporized into a fixed-volume vessel at a

measured temperature and barometric pressure. From the data and the use of the ideal gas law
equation (assuming ideal gas behavior).

(12.1)

In this equation, R is the universal gas constant, P is the barometric pressure in

atmospheres, V is the volume in liters of the vessel into which the liquid is vaporized, and T is
the temperature in kelvins of the vapor.

The mass of the vapor, mvapor, is determined from the mass difference between the empty
vessel and the vapor-filled vessel.

The molar mass of the compound, Mcompound, is then calculated from the acquired data:
Mcompound = mvapor / nvapor

Gases and liquids with relatively large intermolecular forces and large molecular volumes
do not behave according to the ideal gas law equation; in fact, some compounds that we
normally consider as liquids, such as H2O, deviate significantly from ideal gas behavior in the
vapor state. Under these conditions, van der Waals’ equation, a modification of the ideal gas law
equation, can be used to correct for the intermolecular forces and molecular volumes in
determining the moles of gas present in the system

In this equation, P, V, T, R, and n have the same meanings as in Equation 12.1; a is an

experimental value that is representative of the intermolecular forces of the vapor, and b is an
experimental value that is representative of the volume (or size) of the molecules. If a more
accurate determination of the moles of vapor, nvapor, in the flask is required, van der Waals’
equation can be used instead of the ideal gas law equation. Values of a and b for a number of
low-boiling-point liquids are listed in Table 12.1.
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 8

Conclusion:

At the end of the experiment, we came to a conclusion that the Dumas Method is indeed a fair
analysis in getting the molar mass of a volatile liquid. In the experiment and through
calculations, we used the barometer to determine the pressure of vaporized liquid and we found
out that it is equal to the room’s atmospheric pressure. Also, we noticed that there are changes in
temperature and mass in trial 1 and trial two; from 98℃, the temperature decreased to 97℃ and
the 61.1g dry flask turned to 61.09g at trial 2. Lastly, we satisfied our objective when we got the
measurement of the molar mass of the unknown substance, which is, 40.39 g/mol.

References:

Beran, J.A. (2010). Laboratory Manual for Principles of General Chemistry. Experiment 12,
Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid (pp.173-180). United States of America: Kaye Pace.