Zackary Park

Chloride
October 1, 2013
Tuesday
T.A. Michael Casey
Weerapana

Experiment 3: Determining the Empirical Formula of Copper

9-12
Dr. Eranthie

Calculations (Determination 1)
1. Determine the mass of Cu metal produced.
Mass of Cu, g = (mass of watchglass and Cu after last heating, g) (mass of
evaporating dish, g)
Mass of Cu = (95.326 g) (94.430 g) = 0.896 g
2. Determine the mass of Zn reacted.
Mass of Zn reacted, g = (initial mass of Zn, g) (mass of Zn after reaction, g)
Mass of Zn reacted, g = (4.288 g) (3.286 g) = 1.002 g
3. Determine the percent Cu in the copper chloride.
Percent Cu, % = (mass Cu, g / mass of copper chloride, g) (100 %)
Percent Cu, % = (0.896 g / 2.01 g) = 44.6 %
4. Determine the mass of Cl in the copper chloride
Mass of Cl, g = (mass of copper chloride, g) (mass of Cu, g)
Mass of Cl, g = (2.01 g) (0.896 g) = 1.11 g
5. Determine the percent Cl in copper chloride
Percent Cl, % = (mass Cl, g / mass of copper chloride, g) (100 %)
Percent Cl, % = (1.11 g / 2.01 g) = 55.2 %
Calculations (Determination 2) (Change volume of copper chloride to 10 mL from 25 mL)
1. Determine the mass of Cu metal produced.
Mass of Cu, g = (mass of watchglass and Cu after last heating, g) (mass of
evaporating dish, g)
Mass of Cu = (94.787 g) (94.437 g) = 0.350 g
2. Determine the mass of Zn reacted.
Mass of Zn reacted, g = (initial mass of Zn, g) (mass of Zn after reaction, g)
Mass of Zn reacted, g = (4.025 g) (3.682 g) = 0.343 g
3. Determine the percent Cu in the copper chloride.
Percent Cu, % = (mass Cu, g / mass of copper chloride, g) (100 %)
Percent Cu, % = (0.350 g / 0.811 g) = 43.2 %
4. Determine the mass of Cl in the copper chloride
Mass of Cl, g = (mass of copper chloride, g) (mass of Cu, g)
Mass of Cl, g = (0.811 g) (0.350 g) = 0.461 g
5. Determine the percent Cl in copper chloride
Percent Cl, % = (mass Cl, g / mass of copper chloride, g) (100 %)
Percent Cl, % = (0.461 g / 0.811 g) = 56.8 %
Compound
Formula mass
% Cu
% Cl
CuCl
99.00 g / mol
64.19 %
35.81 %
Cu2Cl
162.55 g / mol
21.81 %
78.19 %
CuCl2
134.45 g / mol
47.27 %
52.73 %
Cu2Cl3
233.45 g / mol
54.44 %
45.56 %
Cu3Cl2
261.55 g/ mol
27.11 %
72.89 %
Sample Calculation: CuCl
Formula mass = (63.55 g / mol) + (35.45 g / mol) = 99.00 g / mol
% Cu = (63.55 g / mol) / (99.00 g / mol) = 64.19 % Cu
% Cl = (35.45 g / mol) / (99.00 g /mol) = 35.81 % Cl
1. Mean percent Cu, % = (% Cu from determination 1 + % Cu from determination 2) /
2

Zackary Park
Chloride
October 1, 2013
Tuesday
T.A. Michael Casey
Weerapana

Experiment 3: Determining the Empirical Formula of Copper

9-12
Dr. Eranthie

Mean percent Cu, % = (44.6% + 43.2%) / 2 = 43.9%

2. Mean percent Cl, % = (% Cl from determination 1 + % Cl from determination 2) / 2
Mean percent Cl, % = (55.2% + 56.8%) / 2 = 56.0%
3. Empirical formula of copper chloride is CuCl 2 for both determination 1 and
determination 2.
Post-Laboratory Questions
1. (1) In my experiment, the copper chloride (CuCl 2) was the limiting reagent because
it disappeared first while the zinc remained in the solution. The original solution
was blue because it contained copper chloride. As the zinc and copper chloride
reacted, the solution went from a blue color to a green color then to a clear color.
(2) In my experiment, the zinc (Zn) was present in excess because it still remained
while the copper chloride completely reacted and disappeared. During the
reaction, the silvery zinc turned black and orange. The black and orange residue
could be scraped off, but the zinc still remained. The zinc is present in excess
because the mass of zinc after the reaction is still measurable in grams.
2. (1) Zn (s, silvery-white) + __________ (aq, blue) ZnCl2 (aq) + Cu (s, reddish)
1 Zn (s) + 1 CuCl2 (aq) 1 ZnCl2 (aq) + 1 Cu (s)
(2) Theoretical yield of Cu, g = mass of Zn, g (1 mol Zn / 65.38 g Zn) (B mol Cu / A
mol Zn) (63.55 g Cu / 1 mol Cu)
Determination 1: Theoretical yield of Cu = 1.002 g (1 mol Zn / 65.38 g Zn) (1 mol
Cu / 1 mol Zn) (63.55 g Cu / 1 mol Cu) = 0.9740 g
Determination 2: Theoretical yield of Cu = 0.343 g (1 mol Zn / 65.38 g Zn) (1 mol
Cu / 1 mol Zn) (63.55 g Cu / 1 mol Cu) = 0.3334 g
(3) Percent yield of Cu, % = (actual vield of Cu, g / theoretical yield of Cu, g)
(100%)
Determination 1: Percent yield of Cu, % = (actual vield of Cu, g / theoretical yield
of Cu, g) (100%)
Percent yield of Cu, % = (0.896 g / 0.9740 g) (100%) = 92.0%
Determination 2: Percent yield of Cu, % = (actual vield of Cu, g / theoretical yield
of Cu, g) (100%)
Percent yield of Cu, % = (0.350 g / 0.3334 g) (100%) = 105%
3. The results from the second experiment differed from the results of the first
experiment. Although the percent yield was the same for both determination 1
and determination 2, the theoretical and percent yields were different. The
theoretical yield for determination 1, 0.9740 g, was much higher than the
theoretical yield for determination 2, 0.3334 g. The percent yield for
determination 1, 92.0%, was lower that the percent yield for determination 2,
1.05%. Even though much less copper was produced in determinant 2 than
determinant 1, the ratio between the actual yield and the theoretical yield of both
determinants are similar, resulting in similar percentage calculations. I thought
that using only 10 mL of copper chloride for determination 1 compared to using 25
mL of copper chloride in determination 2 would not cause much alteration in the
results. The change would decrease the amount of copper metal produced, which
would also cause less of the zinc to react. Because there is less zinc reacted, the
theoretical yield of determinant 2 will be less than the theoretical yield of
determinant 1. The difference did fairly match my prediction.
4. ZnO (s) + 2 HCl (aq) ZnCl2 (aq) + H2O (l)

Zackary Park
Chloride
October 1, 2013
Tuesday
T.A. Michael Casey
Weerapana

Experiment 3: Determining the Empirical Formula of Copper

9-12
Dr. Eranthie

5. When I added 10 mL of water to the beaker, I used regular tap water, not de-

ionized water, to the beaker with the decanted copper. Therefore, because the
copper was not washed with pure water, the mass of the Cu metal produced is
above what it should have been since the impurities of tap water were mixed in
with the copper. The percent of copper present in copper chloride is higher than it
should have been, which also caused the percent yield of copper higher than it
should have been. When transferring the copper from the beaker to the
watchglass using a rubber policeman connected to a stirring rod, not all of the
copper was transferred to the watchglass. Therefore, because not all the copper
was transferred, the mass of the Cu metal is below what is should have been since
there was still copper remaining in the beaker. The percent of copper present in
copper chloride is lower than it should have been, which also caused the percent
yield of copper lower than it should have been.