Determination of Water in a Hydrate
Determination of Water in a Hydrate
DESIGN – Aspect 1: Defining the problem & selecting variables Research Question:
What percentage of Copper Sulfate Hydrate is water?
Background Information:
There are many ionic compounds that contain one or more waters of hydration in their formulae. They exists either in anhydrous or hydrated form. Most anhydrous compounds have a strong tendency to absorb water from the humidity in the atmosphere and shifts into a hydrated form. Because of that phenomenon, those compounds are used to reduce moisture in places where water moisture can damage certain products.
The anhydrous compounds are separated into three categories: hygroscopic, deliquescent and efflorescent. Hygroscopic compounds will decompose if they are exposed to moisture. Deliquescent compounds absorb so much water that they will actually dissolve in the gathered water. Efflorescent compounds tend to lose moisture when placed in a dry environment.
The hydrates also contain different amount of water depending on their formulae. To find the potential amount of water that a fully hydrated compound can contain, the difference of masses between the compound’s anhydrous and hydrated form has to be found out and then the data can be calculated to know the actual percentage of water presented in the hydrate.
Pre-lab Questions:
1. What does it mean if a compound is said to be a hydrate?
A compound in which water molecules are chemically bound to another compound or an element
2. Define: Hygroscopic, Deliquescent, and Efflorescent
Hygroscopic: compounds that would decompose when exposed to moisture
Deliquescent: compounds that dissolve in the water that they absorbed
Efflorescent: compounds that lose their hydration when placed in a dry environment
3. Write a balanced equation for the reaction that will take place in this experiment. What type of reaction is it?
CuSO4 x 5H2O = CuSO4 + 5H2O
Decomposition Reaction
4. Calculate the
DESIGN – Aspect 1: Defining the problem & selecting variables Research Question:
What percentage of Copper Sulfate Hydrate is water?
Background Information:
There are many ionic compounds that contain one or more waters of hydration in their formulae. They exists either in anhydrous or hydrated form. Most anhydrous compounds have a strong tendency to absorb water from the humidity in the atmosphere and shifts into a hydrated form. Because of that phenomenon, those compounds are used to reduce moisture in places where water moisture can damage certain products.
The anhydrous compounds are separated into three categories: hygroscopic, deliquescent and efflorescent. Hygroscopic compounds will decompose if they are exposed to moisture. Deliquescent compounds absorb so much water that they will actually dissolve in the gathered water. Efflorescent compounds tend to lose moisture when placed in a dry environment.
The hydrates also contain different amount of water depending on their formulae. To find the potential amount of water that a fully hydrated compound can contain, the difference of masses between the compound’s anhydrous and hydrated form has to be found out and then the data can be calculated to know the actual percentage of water presented in the hydrate.
Pre-lab Questions:
1. What does it mean if a compound is said to be a hydrate?
A compound in which water molecules are chemically bound to another compound or an element
2. Define: Hygroscopic, Deliquescent, and Efflorescent
Hygroscopic: compounds that would decompose when exposed to moisture
Deliquescent: compounds that dissolve in the water that they absorbed
Efflorescent: compounds that lose their hydration when placed in a dry environment
3. Write a balanced equation for the reaction that will take place in this experiment. What type of reaction is it?
CuSO4 x 5H2O = CuSO4 + 5H2O
Decomposition Reaction
4. Calculate the