Chem 100 Section _______ Experiment 5

Name ____________________________
Partner’s Name ___________________________

Chemical Reactions: Making Table Salt

Introduction

During chemical reactions, substances combine with each other in a definite proportion by mass,
meaning that only a certain amount of one reactant will react with a given amount of another reactant.
The amounts of reactant species can be expressed in a variety of ways: grams, pounds, tons, and liters.
However, no matter what units are used, they are all related to the ratio of moles of one species reacting
with a certain number of moles of another species. If you are unclear about the concept and definition of
a chemical mole, you should review the discussion of moles in Chapter 3 of Chemistry in Context - 5th
Ed.

In this experiment, you will investigate in more detail a reaction you have already used in Experiments 1
and 4, i.e., the reaction of sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3, with acid (vinegar, HC2H3O2 or hydrochloric
acid, HCl). Sodium bicarbonate is also known as sodium hydrogen carbonate, but it is most familiar as
baking soda. The reaction of sodium bicarbonate with hydrochloric acid produces salt (sodium chloride,
NaCl), and water, and carbon dioxide.

NaHCO3 + HCl NaCl + H2O + CO2

In Experiment 1, you used this reaction to make carbon dioxide in a plastic bag. In Experiment 4 you
prepared CO2 in a microscale gas syringe. Now you will do quantitative measurements to find out how
many moles of salt (NaCl) are formed from 1 mole of NaHCO3. You cannot measure moles directly, but
you will determine the mass of NaHCO3 used and the mass of NaCl formed by weighing samples on a
balance. To further improve the accuracy of the experiment, data will be assembled from the whole
class, and you will be asked to decide on a "best" value for the ratio.

After completing this study with sodium bicarbonate, you will try a similar study with sodium carbonate
(Na2CO3) to see how the results may or may not differ. The experimental procedure is the same and the
calculations are very similar. When completed, you should be able to propose a balanced chemical
equation for the reaction of sodium carbonate with hydrochloric acid.

Overview of the Experiment

1. Label and weigh six clean, dry, large test tubes.

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Materials Needed

Chemicals Equipment
• Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3 • 6 test tubes
• Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3 • test-tube holder
• 6 M hydrochloric acid, HCl • Fischer or Bunsen burner

SAFETY NOTES

• 6 M HCl is corrosive to the skin and other materials. Avoid spilling it on yourself,
your partner, or your work space.
• Be extremely cautious about flammable materials near an open flame.
• Be alert to the possibility of hot solution accidentally splashing out of a test tube if it
is heated too rapidly.

Experimental Procedure:

1. Obtain three test tubes that are clean and completely dry. Label them A, through F, putting
the labels near the tops of the tubes. Add a small boiling chip to each test tube.

2. Take the test tubes and data tables to one of the laboratory balances. Weigh each of the test tubes
(including the boiling chip) to the nearest ten thousandth of a gram (0.0001g) and record the
masses on the appropriate lines in the data tables. (If the last decimal place is a zero, be sure to
record it, e.g., 18.1040 g)

3. To test tubes labeled A, B and C add just enough NaHCO3 to fill the curved bottom of the tube.
To tubes labeled D, E and F add a similar quantity of Na2CO3.

4. Again, weigh each test tube to the nearest ten thousandth of a gram (0.0001 g) and record its mass
(tube + contents) in the data table. Note: The masses of the three solid samples of NaHCO3 or
Na2CO3 do not need to be identical. Typical masses of added NaHCO3 or Na2CO3 be about 0.3 to
0.7g.

5. Fill a plastic pipet with 6 M hydrochloric acid solution. Add this acid dropwise to tube A. Let the
liquid run down the wall of the test tube and gently "spank" the tube after each drop reaches the
bottom. Continue to add acid slowly until all of the solid has dissolved. (It is important to add only
the minimum amount of acid needed to get the solid dissolved.) Save the tube and its contents for
further work.

6. Repeat step 5 with each of the remaining test tubes (B through F).
7. Gently heat test-tube A and its contents over a Fischer or Bunsen burner flame, holding the tube at
an angle and pointed away from you (as well as pointed away from anyone else in the immediate
vicinity). See Figure 5.l. The idea is to evaporate the water in the tube without spattering anything
out of the tube.

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 Figure 5.1 The correct
way to heat a test tube
over a Bunsen burner

Caution: Too rapid heating of the tube, especially if it is held in an upright position, will cause the
hot contents to splash out of the tube and will necessitate starting over with a fresh sample.
Boiling chips should help to produce smooth boiling. Your instructor may provide additional
advice on how to minimize the problem.

Continue heating until all of the liquid has evaporated and solid NaCl remains. (It is crucial to the
success of this experiment to be sure that all of the water has evaporated from the upper part of the
tube.)

8. Remove the tube from the flame and test for the evolution of water vapor from tube A by inverting
a clean, dry test tube over the upright mouth of test-tube A. If condensation occurs in the cold test
tube, continue the drying and testing process until no condensation occurs. Then set test-tube A
with its dried contents aside to cool.
9. Repeat the procedures in steps 7 and 8 with test-tubes B through F.

10. Allow the three test tubes to cool (at least 5 minutes), check to be sure there are no water droplets
left, and then weigh each with its contents. Record the masses in the data table.

11. If time permits, confirm that the tubes were fully dried by reheating them for 1-2 minutes, cooling
for 5 minutes and reweighing. Record the second mass for each by modifying the data table. If
they were dry the first time, there should be a negligible change in mass.

Clean Up

Rinse the test tubes thoroughly with tap water, then with distilled water, and leave them upside down to
drain and dry in your drawer.

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Calculations

1. For the six columns in the data tables, subtract the numbers on line 2 from line 1 to obtain the
masses of NaHCO3 used (line 3, page 5 - 5) or line 11 from line 10 to obtain the mass of Na2CO3
(line 12, page 5 - 6)

2. Add up the molar masses of the atoms in NaHCO3 to find the mass of 1 mole of NaHCO3. Then
use this result and the masses on line 3 to calculate the number of moles of NaHCO3 used (line 4).
Similarly, determine the number of moles of Na2CO3 used (line 13).

3. Line 6 (mass of tube) is the same as line 2. Subtract line 6 from line 5 to obtain the masses of NaCl
formed by the reaction of HCl with NaHCO3 (line 7). By similar reasoning, obtain the mass of
NaCl formed by the reaction of HCl with Na2CO3 (line 16).

4. Proceeding the same way as in step 2, calculate the moles of NaCl formed in each type of reaction
(lines 8 & 17).

5. Finally, calculate the ratio of moles NaCl to moles NaHCO3 (line 9). This should be recorded to
two decimal places (i.e., 2 digits after the decimal point). In like fashion, calculate the ratio of
moles NaCl to moles of Na2CO3 (line 18).

6. Calculate the average of your three experimental results (tubes A, B, C) for this ratio of NaCl to
NaHCO3 and record it to two decimal places in the space provided. Also, perform a similar
calculation for tubes D, E and F, and record the average in the space provided.

Questions To Be Answered After Completing This Experiment

Write out answers to the following questions on separate sheets of paper and turn them in
along with the entire experiment (procedures and data sheets).

1. If class results have been assembled, what was the average of the mole ratios for the whole class?
What was the range of experimental values (from lowest to highest)? Do you think any results
should be excluded from calculating an average ratio for the whole class? If so, explain why and
then calculate a revised average ratio.
2. Copy the balanced equation for the reaction of sodium bicarbonate with hydrochloric acid from the
introduction to this experiment. What ratio for moles NaCl per moles NaHCO3 does this balanced
equation predict?
3. Do your experimental results and those from the class agree with the balanced equation? Write a
brief discussion of the agreement (or lack of agreement).
4. Experimental error is a part of any scientific experiment. Suggest two possible sources of error in
this experiment. (Do not include weighing errors.) Indicate whether each error would increase or
decrease the experimental value for the ratio of moles NaCl to moles NaHCO3.

5. Now answer similar questions (#1 - #4) for sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, instead of sodium
bicarbonate (i.e., tubes D-F). Balance the equation Na2CO3 + HCl NaCl + CO2 + H2O.
What mole ratio, i.e., moles NaCl to moles Na2CO3, does this balanced equation predict?

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Experiment 5 Name ____________________________
Partner’s Name ___________________________
Date ______________ Chem 100 Section ____

Chemical Reactions: Making Table Salt

Data Sheet

Tube A Tube B Tube C

1. Mass of tube + NaHCO3

2. Mass of tube

3. Mass of NaHCO3

4. Moles of NaHCO3

5. Mass of tube + NaCl

6. Mass of tube (cf. #2)

7. Mass of NaCl

8. Moles of NaCl

Moles NaCl
9. Ratio:
Moles NaHCO3

Average ratio for these three results: ____________

Class average for these results: ___________ Range: ________ (high)

5–5
Experiment 5 Name ____________________________
Partner’s Name ___________________________

Data Sheet (continued)

Tube D Tube E Tube F

10. Mass of tube + Na2CO3

11. Mass of tube

12. Mass of Na2CO3

13. Moles of Na2CO3

14. Mass of tube + NaCl

15. Mass of tube (cf. #11)

16. Mass of NaCl

17. Moles of NaCl

Moles NaCl
18. Ratio:
Moles Na2CO3

Average ratio for these three results: ____________

Class average for these results: ___________ Range: ________ (high)

5–6