Eutectic Point Lab Report

The objective of this lab was to identify an unknown compound by determining the melting point range using fast and slow ramps. Also, to determine the eutectic point of Urea and Cinnamic Acid.
An unknown compound that was numbered 8 was chosen. A small amount of the unknown compound was placed in a weighing paper using a spatula. The weighing paper was folded in half twice and then was grinded using a spatula. After the unknown compound was grinded about 1-2mm was added into a capillary tube. A Digi Melt apparatus was set up to run a fast ramp (start temperature at 25° C ramp rate =20 °C/min end temperature = 260° C). The capillary tube was placed in the Digi Melt apparatus and the fast ramp began. The temperatures of the unknown compound were recorded when it started to melt and when the
Before the unknown compound started to melt it was white and when completely melted it turned clear. The temperatures from the fast ramp was used to for the slow ramp. In the slow ramp, the start temperature was 10°C below the temperature when the crystals started to melt in the fast ramp. The end temperature was 5°C above the end temperature in the fast ramp, and the ramp rate was 1°C /min. After running the slow ramp the melting point range was compared to possible known compound. The compound Fluorene was a possible match for what the unknown compound was. To confirm that the unknown compound was Flourene a mixed melting point was ran. In a weighing paper the unknown compound and flouerene was mixed and 1-2mm was placed in a capillary tube. A slow ramp was ran based on the start and end temperatures of the previous slow ramp. The temperatures of the mixed compound