The mole is a convenient unit for analyzing chemical reactions. Avogadro’s number is equal to the mole. The mass of a mole of any compound or element is the mass in grams that corresponds to the molecular formula, also known as the atomic mass. In this experiment, you will observe the reaction of iron nails with a solution of copper (II) chloride and determine the number of moles involved in the reaction. You will determine the number of moles of copper produced in the reaction of iron and copper (II) chloride, determine the number of moles of iron used up in the reaction of iron and copper (II) chloride, determine the ratio of moles of iron to moles of copper, and determine the number of atoms and formula units involved in the reaction. Through the experimentation the observation that we will make will show that an iron atom in return will go to a solution with the copper showing the chemical reaction of single displacement.
Procedure
Materials
Apparatus Reagents Beakers (250-mL) Safety Goggles Copper (II) Sulfate Wash Bottle Lab Apron 2 Iron Nail Stirring Rod Plastic Gloves 1M Hydrochloric Acid Crucible Tongs Sandpaper or Emery Cloth Distilled Water
Centigram Balance Face Shield
Drying Oven
1. Find the mass of a clean, empty, dry 250-mL beaker. Record the mass to the nearest 0.01 g. 2. Add approximately 8 g of copper (II) sulfate crystals to the beaker. Find the mass and record it on the Report Sheet. 3. Add 50 mL of distilled water to the beaker. Swirl the beaker around to dissolve all of the copper (II) chloride crystals. 4. Obtain 2 iron nail. If the nails are not clean, use a piece of sandpaper to make the surface of the nail shiny. Find the mass of the nails and record it on the Report Sheet. 5. Place the nails into the copper (II) chloride solution. Leave them undisturbed for approximately 20 min. During that time, you should see the formation of copper in the