For this experiment, a group was employed by the Environmental Protection Agency as analytical chemists. Their goal was to identify an unknown compound that has been discovered in a landfill in their hometown. Once they identified the compound, they would then have to determine both the chemical and physical properties of the compound in order to inform the townspeople of any potential dangers.
During the first week of lab, the group was given a small bottle containing an unknown white crystal-like substance. Their main goal of this week was to determine the identity of this unknown compound. The first step conducted to achieve this goal was the qualitative solubility test to see if the compound would dissolve in water, acetone, and toluene. …show more content…
When hydrochloric acid was added to the unknown and known solutions, both resulted in no reaction. This also occurred when potassium hydroxide was added to both of the solutions. Barium chloride was then added to the two solutions, which resulted in a cloudy white precipitate from both of the solutions. A cloudy white precipitate also formed when calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate were added to both the unknown and known solutions. These reactivity tests were conducted in order to establish how the unknown compound would react with acids, bases, and salts. This was significant to determine because these reactions give information on how the compound would react and behave in the local landfill and surrounding environment. The similarity of the qualitative results of the unknown compound and the known compound further suggested that the unknown compound was sodium sulfate.
During the third week of lab, the group conducted the quantitative solubility test to determine the saturation point of the compound in water. If a precipitant formed, vacuum filtration would be used to figure out the amount of solid material left behind. Once the solubility tests were finished, this provided numerical evidence that aided in determining the identification of the compound. From these three weeks of investigation, the group
During the first week of lab, the group was given a small bottle containing an unknown white crystal-like substance. Their main goal of this week was to determine the identity of this unknown compound. The first step conducted to achieve this goal was the qualitative solubility test to see if the compound would dissolve in water, acetone, and toluene. …show more content…
When hydrochloric acid was added to the unknown and known solutions, both resulted in no reaction. This also occurred when potassium hydroxide was added to both of the solutions. Barium chloride was then added to the two solutions, which resulted in a cloudy white precipitate from both of the solutions. A cloudy white precipitate also formed when calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate were added to both the unknown and known solutions. These reactivity tests were conducted in order to establish how the unknown compound would react with acids, bases, and salts. This was significant to determine because these reactions give information on how the compound would react and behave in the local landfill and surrounding environment. The similarity of the qualitative results of the unknown compound and the known compound further suggested that the unknown compound was sodium sulfate.
During the third week of lab, the group conducted the quantitative solubility test to determine the saturation point of the compound in water. If a precipitant formed, vacuum filtration would be used to figure out the amount of solid material left behind. Once the solubility tests were finished, this provided numerical evidence that aided in determining the identification of the compound. From these three weeks of investigation, the group