Experiment 1 Pre-Lab: Basic Laboratory Operations, Part C: Density

Purpose: This experiment works to begin developing the foundational laboratory

techniques which will used throughout ones chemistry career. In particular, it
focuses on the recording and manipulation of measurements with key instruments,
laboratory balance and pipet, to determine the respective densities of a solid (zinc)
and two different liquids (the first, water, and the second, an unknown).
Materials & Instrumentation:

Zinc electrode
Deionized water
Unknown Liquid

100 mL beaker
50 mL beakers (4)
100 mL graduated cylinder
10 mL pipette (2)
Laboratory Balance

Procedure:

1. Zinc Electrode
a. Obtain a zinc electrode at the front of the lab.
Record the mass of the zinc electrode on a tared balance.
b. Fill a 100 mL graduated cylinder with about 75 mL of deionized
water.
Record the volume of the water.
c. Slide the zinc electrode carefully into the graduated cylinder held at
a 45o angle.
Roll the zinc electrode around to break air bubbles.
Record the new water level.
d. Remove and dry the zinc electrode.
Repeat steps b c (or measure water level in the graduated
cylinder, and go from there).
Water can go down drain
2. Liquid, water
a. With a 100 mL beaker of deionized water and lab notebook, go to
the balance room.
Record the mass of two 50 mL beakers.
b. Use one 10.0 mL graduated, plastic pipette to measure 5.0 mL of
water.
Pipet into beaker one.
Record new mass of beaker one.
Repeat step b for beaker two.
c. Calculate density of water for each trial.
d. Receive class data for densities of water at room temperature and
average.

Water can go down drain and throw plastic pipettes into plastic waste
container.
3. Liquid, unknown
a. With a 50 mL beaker with about 20 mL of unknown liquid and
notebook, go to the balance room.
Record identity of the unknown.
Record the mass of two, clean and dry 50 mL beakers.
b. Use one 10.0 mL graduated, plastic pipette to measure 5.0 mL of
unknown liquid.
Pipet into beaker one.
Record new mass of beaker one.
Repeat step b for beaker two.
c. Calculate density of unknown liquid for each trial.
d. Calculate average alone.
Water can go down drain and throw plastic pipettes into plastic waste
container.

Data Table: