Chemistry 102

Calculating the Ideal Gas Constant

Ian Pascoe
Station #8
CHM 102
0017
Jie Mei
10/21/15

Purpose of Experiment
This experiment was made to calculate one of the known values of chemistry. This value is the ideal gas
constant. This value of about .082 is used to determine pressure, composition, volume and temperature of a gas
in certain environments. This lab will practice the use of a colorimeter and create a reaction between
magnesium and hydrochloric acid to form pure hydrogen gas, and this is where the constant will attempt to be
calculated.

Procedure
See page 92, no changes were made.

Sample Calculations: Must be handwritten, typed calculations are not accepted

Mass of Magnesium Strip

Moles of Magnesium Used

Moles of Hydrogen Produced

Pressure

Volume of Hydrogen Produced

Temperature

Determining the Ideal Gas Constant

Average Experimental Value for R

Percent Error

Results

Mass of Mg Strip
Moles of Mg Used
Moles of H Produced
Pressure
Volume of H Produced
Temperature
Experimental Value
Found

Trial 1
.0076 g
3.1 * 10-4 moles
3.1 * 10-4 moles
.995 atm
.00618 L
287.12 K
.0691

Average Value Found: .0736

Percent Error: 10.31%

Trial 2
.00836 g
3.4 * 10-4 moles
3.4 * 10-4 moles
.995 atm
.00778 L
287.39 K
.0792

Trial 3
.00912 g
3.8 * 10-4 moles
3.4 * 10-4 moles
.995 atm
.00796 L
287.44 K
.0725

Conclusions
In this lab the ideal gas constant, .0806 was to be found by reacting Mg with hydrochloric acid to form
hydrogen in a test tube. By using a colorimeter and the volume found, all of the other constants in the function
PV=nRT could be found so that the student could solve for R. This value is normally the constant in the
equation, but for experimental practice, everything but the ideal gas constant was to be used so that an
experimental value and an accepted value were to be compared. At the end of the experiment, a percent error
could be found so that the effectiveness of the students experiment could be analyzed. To find this ideal gas
constant Mg and hydrochloric acid reacted in a test tube to leave the reactants and products undisturbed and
allow the pressure and temperature to be measured. Using a strip of magnesium of a certain length, the amount
of moles of magnesium could be found. This amount was in a ratio 1;1 to the amount of hydrogen that would
form, so the amount of moles would just be transferred to the amount of hydrogen. This amount is put into the
function PV=nRT as n. The volume of the hydrogen was just found by looking at the test tube upside down
with an error of .10 mL. This value, like the amount of moles, was then ready to be plugged into the equation.
Lastly the pressure and temperature were found. The pressure was found by subtracting the water vapor
pressure from the atmospheric pressure. The temperature was then found by using the calorimeter. Finally, the
ideal gas constant was found three times for the three trials but the average came out to about .0736. This was
generally close to the accepted value of .08206 and generated a percent error of about 10.31% which is
somewhat accurate. Some sources of this error could be the accuracy of the calorimeter because it was not
holding very steady at some points, as well as the exact atmospheric pressure in the room, which could vary at
any time. Overall the accepted value was very close to the experimental value which means the experiment was
generally successful.

Discussion Questions
1

5 The masses collected above are most likely more accurate than assuming that the strips are uniform. I do not
think that it is within the 5% confidence limit but it is generally close. The error is most likely random because
the strips will have different densities and masses at different points. This cannot be proven but human error
would definitely point to this being the case.

Experiment Checklist: This sheet must be attached as the last page of your lab report
Points:
_____

Format

5pts

_____

Does not match template

_____

Sections not bolded and underlined

_____

Sections of report are missing

_____

Sections out of order

5pts

_____

Does not match actual goals

_____

Not completed in 5-10 sentences

5pts

_____

Page numbers incorrect

_____

Changes missing

20pts

_____

Calculations are incorrect

_____

Calculations do not match original data

_____

Calculations are illegible

_____

Calculations are out of order or unlabeled

_____

Results do not make sense

_____

Results are out of order

_____

Results do not match calculations

_____

Results are missing or not tabulated

_____

Error sources are not specific to experiment if greater than 5%

_____

Results are missing

_____

Discrepancies between data collected and expected results are not explained

_____

Final sentence(s) about success in relation to purpose is unclear or missing

_____

Too long or too short

Q1

_____Answer is incorrect, incomplete or makes no sense _____Calculations are illegible

Q2

_____Answer is incorrect, incomplete or makes no sense _____Calculations are illegible

(0 / 5)

_____

Purpose
(0 / 5)

_____

Procedure
(0 / 5)

_____

Calculations
(0 -20 sliding)

_____

Results

10pts

(0 / 5 / 10)
_____

Conclusions

10pts

(0 / 5/ 10)

_____

Discussion Questions
(6pts each sliding) X 5

Q3

_____Answer is incorrect, incomplete or makes no sense _____Calculations are

illegible

_____

Original Data

Q4

_____Answer is incorrect, incomplete or makes no sense _____Calculations are illegible

Q5

_____Answer is incorrect, incomplete or makes no sense _____Calculations are illegible

15pts

_____

Data is not in black pen

_____

Data is illegible

_____

TA initials missing on changes

_____

Data is incorrect or missing

(0 -15 sliding)
______ Total Score

100pts

Deductions:

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

10pts
Checklist missing
5pts
Incorrect significant figures
5pts
Incorrect or missing units
5pts
Incomplete sentences or wording that makes no sense
5pt/incident
Portions of the lab report other than calculations and data are hand written
100pts
Plagiarism (copying from another source):
20pts
Late report
20pts
Lab area left unclean
20pts
Improper waste disposal
20pts
Disruptive behavior (At TAs discretion)
Other:_________________________________________

______ Final Score