Title : Determination Of Percent Composition In Hydrate Compounds

Objectives :
1) To calculate the mol of water (x) in barium hydrate
(BaCl2.xH2O) .
2) To identify molecular formula of compound A from the
thermal decomposition.

Procedure :
1. A crucible and lid is obtained. The crucible is cleaned and it checked for any
stress cracks, fractures or fissures before use. ( If the crucible is dirty, the apparatus is moved
to the hood and 1-2mL of 6M HNO3 and it gently evaporated to dryness then inspect the
crucible after cooling for any defects. If no defects are found the crucible and lid should
supported on a clay triangle ).
2. An initial mass of the crucible and lid is recorded.
3. The crucible and lid are heated gently for 5 minutes with an intense flame until the
bottom of the crucible has become red. The crucible and lid is allowed to cool on the
clay triangle
before proceed the experiment.
4. The mass of the “ fired ” cool crucible and lid are determined.
Then it recorded. Step 2 is repeated until you have two
crucible and lid mass readings that differ by no more than
10mg or 0.010g.
5. Hydrated salt with mass between 1.5g and 2.0g is added to the
crucible and the combined mass of the crucible , lid and salt is
measured and recorded.
6. The crucible is placed with the sample on the clay triangle.
With the lid slightly jar, the sample is heated slowly for 2
minutes and drastically the sample is heated at high
temperature for 10 minutes. The crucible is covered once the
heat is removed and cooling is allowed at room temperature in
desiccators. The mass of the crucible , lid and anhydrous salt
is recorded using the same analytical balance as used in the
earlier steps.
7. The sample is reheated for an additional 2 minutes with intense
heat. The combined mass of the crucible , lid and anhydrous
salt is weighed and continue repeating this process until two
concurrent reading within 10mg of each other were obtained.
8. This procedure is applied for compound A.
RESULTS
Data :
a. Determination of Percent Water in Barium Chloride Hydrate (BaCl2.xH2O)
Mass of empty crucible and lid 53.56g
First heating 53.55g
Second heating 53.54g

Mass of crucible + lid + hydrate before heating 55.56g

Mass of crucible + lid + hydrate after, 55.27g
1) First heating
2) Second heating 55.25g
3) Third heating 55.24g

b. Determination of Water Composition and Molecular Formula of Compound A.

Crucible and lid
Mass of empty crucible and lid 94.472g
First heating 94.383g
Second heating 94.309g

Mass of crucible + lid + hydrate before 96.933g

heating
Mass of crucible + lid + hydrate after, 96.279g
1) First heating
2) Second heating 96.269g
3) Third heating 96.262g
Calculations:
a. Determination of Percent Water in Barium Chloride Hydrate (BaCl2.xH2O)

Calculate :

1. Mass of BaCl2.xH2O

55.56g – 53.56g = 2.00 g

2. Mass of barium chloride anhydrous
55.56g – 55.27g = 0.29g
3. Mass of water in BaCl2.xH2O
2.00g – 0.29g = 1.71g
4. Percent composition of water in BaCl2.xH2O
1.71/2.00 x 100% = 85.5%
5. Formula of barium chloride hydrate
Number of moles of BaCl2 = Mass/molar mass
Molecular weight of BaCl2 =
Number of moles of BaCl2 =
Number of moles of BaCl2 =
Number of moles of H2O = Mass/molar mass
Molecular weight of H2O =
Number of moles of H2O =
Number of moles of H2O =
Ratio:
Ratio =
b. Determination of Water Composition and Molecular Formula of Compound A.

Calculate :

1. Mass of Compound A

96.933g – 94.472g = 2.461g

2. Mass of Compund A anhydrous

96.933g – 96.279g = 0.654g

3. Mass of water in Compound A

2.461g – 0.654g = 1.807g

4. Percent composition of water in Compound A.

1.807/2.461 x 100% =73.43%

5. Identification of Compound A (compare your result to the nearest percent composition of

water in the hydrates listed)

Li2SO4.H2O,MgSO4.7H2O,FeSO4.7H2O,SrCl2.6H2O or CaSO4.2H2O

Percentage composition of water of hydrates :

= ( molar mass H2O/ Molar mass of hydrates x 100%)

Percentage composition of water in Li2SO4.H2O

=

Percentage composition of water in MgSO4.7H2O.

=

Percentage composition of water in SrCl2.6H2O

=

Percentage composition of water in FeSO4.7H2O,

=

Percentage composition of CaSO4.2H2O :

= 2( molar mass H2O /Molar mass of CaSO4.2H2O. x 100%)

=
DISCUSSION:
Based on the experiments, we expected to the mass of empty crucible
and mass of an empty crucible before and after heating. This is important
due to calculate the percentage of composition water in BaCl2.xH2O.
Unfortunately, the percentage of composition of water in BaCl2.xH2O
(85.5%) is slightly difference to the expected percentage of composition
of water in BaCl2.2H2O (14.8%). For compound A , the percentage of
compositon of water in Compound A (72.43%) is nearer to the percentage
of composition of water in CaSO4.2H2O ( ). So, we identified compound A as
CaSO4.2H2O.
Make sure we clean the crucible and check for any stress cracks. We also must obey the
time given when heating and cooling crucible. When reading the temperature, the eye
must be perpendicular to the scale. We also must use the same analytical balance to get
more accuracy of mass.Then, repeat the experiment to get average of mass and reading.

Conclusion:
Based on the experiment, we found that the mol of water in Barium Chloride Hydrate
using present composition concept and the atomic mass.

Question:

a) Give the reason why the empty crucible should heated before starting the
experiment?

To make sure no cracks at the crucible and also to remove any moisture
present in the crucible by the process of heating which is it absorb any
water from crucible.

b) Why the process of heating hydrate compound should be started slowly

first?

To make sure the salt at crucible will not burned and to avoid the water
from the salt be dehydrate faster.

c) What is the important of percent composition of water in the hydrate

compounds?

To calculate the mol of water use in the composition.

References:

1) Laboratory Manual Basic Chemistry CHM138 provided by Dr Shamsul On.

2) College Matriculation Chemistry SK016, S.A.P Publication Sdn.Bhd
3) Chemistry Success Reference Book edited by Raymond Chang.