Identifying and Synthesizing an Unknown White Compound

Author: Vy Truong
Lab partners: Samantha Harding, Stevi Schwermann, Andrea Newell
November 11, 2012

Abstract
The purpose of the experiment is to identify an unknown white compound (470p) by performing
various tests, reconfirm this identity and finally synthesize 1g of the compound. The pH test, the
ammonium test, the halide test, the carbonate test, the sulfate test, the flame test and the
conductivity test are performed to determine the cation and anion composed in the given white
compound. With a white precipitate formed in the halide test and an orange color observed in the
flame test, the compound is determined to be NaCl. All of the tests are then performed again on a
sample of known NaCl to compare the two results. The two results turn out to be the same, so the
unknown compound is indeed NaCl. The next part is to synthesize 1g of NaCl using NaOH and
HCl. However, only 0.253g of NaCl was obtained, resulting in a percent yield of 25.3%. In
conclusion, the unknown white compound 470 p is determined to be NaCl. It consists of the
cation Na+ and the anion Cl-. Then 0.253g NaCl was synthesized from NaOH and HCl.

Introduction
The objective of this project is to identify an unknown white substance, confirm its identity and
synthesize one gram of that substance. Identifying the identity of a substance is important
because once the identity of the substance is discovered, more information about the
characteristics of the compound will also be learned. It is also very interesting to be able to
discover the identity of an unknown compound with not much information given. Confirming the
identity by performing a series of tests is also important as there is always a chance of error in
science experiments. Finally, being able to synthesize the substance from scratch is as well
important because substances might not be always available to use and one needs to know how
to synthesize a compound. This experiment is important because it will help students learn a lot
about their unknown white compound and even be able to synthesize it. In the past, scientists
have always tried to figure out what an unknown compound really is. The compound given
consists of a cation and an anion; therefore, most of the tests are performed to correctly
determine the cation and the anion. In this report, the readers should expect to see a lot of tests
performed to identify the unknown compound. There will also be some calculations involved in
the synthesizing part.

Experimental
The materials used are a Bunsen burner, a wire, the Logger Pro conductivity probe, digital scale,
pH strips, hot plate, well plate, beakers of various size and pipettes. Chemicals used are: the
unknown white compound (number 470p), DI water, NaOH, HNO3, AgNO3, HCl, BaCl2 and
NaCl.
On day 1 of the experiment, 0.1 g of the compound is added into 1 ml of deionized water to see
if it is soluble. The pH of the solution is also tested using a pH strip. Next, the following anion
tests are performed: the ammonium, halide, carbonate, and sulfate tests. For the ammonium test,
1 ml of NaOH is added into 1 ml of the aqueous solution of the compound and waft. If NH4+
(ammonium) ion is present, the mixture will have a special smell of ammonia. For the halide test,
1 ml of 6M HNO3 and 1ml of 0.1M AgNO3 is added into approximately 1 ml of solution to see if
any white precipitate is formed. For the carbonate test, 6M HCl is added to the unknown solution
to see if there is any fizzing or bubbling. Finally, for the sulfate test, 1 ml of 6M HCl and 1 ml of
0.1M BaCl2 are added to 1 ml of solution to see if any precipitate is formed.
Next, the flame test is performed to detect the metal cation. 0.1 g of the
unknown compound is dissolved into 1 ml of DI water to make an aqueous
solution. Then a Bunsen burner is set up and lit up. A wire is soaked into the
solution and then is held in the burners the flame to see if the color of the
flame changes or not.
The unknown compound is once again added to 20ml of DI water. This time, the conductivity
test is performed using Logger Pro. The mean value recorded is 2.71X10^4 muS/cm.
On day 2 of the experiment, the compound that is thought to be the given
UWC (NaCl) is tested side by side with the sample 470p using all the same
tests performed on day 1 of the experiment. If the results turn out to be the
same, then the 470p sample ought to be NaCl. To confirm the ammonium
test, 0.1g of NaCl and 0.1 of compound 470p are both dissolved into water to
detect any smell. To confirm the halide test, water is added into 0.1g of
compound 470p and 0.1g NaCl to form 2 solutions. Then 0.1M AgNO3 is
added into these solutions to see if any white precipitate is formed. To
confirm the sulfate test, 0.1g BaCl2 is added into the solutions to see if any
precipitate formed. To confirm the carbonate test, HCl is added into the
solution to see if there is any fizzing. The pH of the UWC is also tested again.

The flame test is then performed again. A wire is dipped into the UWC
solution and is put in the flame to see any change of the color of the flame.
Same procedure is performed for the NaCl solution.
Finally, the conductivity test is performed again, still using the Logger Pro to record the
conductivity value. This time, the mean value recorded is 2.99X10^4 (virtually identical).
On day 3 of the experiment, the compound is synthesized using 0.684g of
1M NaOH and 0.624g of 1M HCl. The pH of the product is tested to make sure
that it is neutral. The product is then heated using a hot plate so that water
is evaporated. After heated, solid white compound is left in the beaker. It is
scraped into a watch glass and is put in an oven for 30 minutes. The mass is
determined to be 0.253g.

Results

1. Identifying the compound

Solubility test and pH test: 0.1 g of the compound is added into 1 ml of deionized water.
The compound completely dissolves in water. The pH of the compound's aqueous
solution is also tested using pH strips. pH turns out to be neutral (around 6 or 7),
suggesting that it is salt.

Ammonium test: 1 mL of 1M NaOH is added to 1 mL of aqueous solution of compound.

If NH4+ is present, the mixture will have a special smell of ammonia. However, no smell
is detected, thus no NH4+ ion is present.

Halide Test: 1 mL of 0.1M AgNO3 is added to approximately 1 mL of aqueous solution.

If a halide ion (F-, Cl-, Br-, I-) is present, a white precipitate will be formed. A white
precipitate is indeed observed, thus a halide ion must be present in the solution.

Sulfate Test: 1 mL of 0.1M BaCL2 is added to 1 mL of aqueous solution. If the mixture

begins to form a white precipitate, a sulfate ion is present. However, no precipitate is
observed, thus SO42- ion is not present in the solution.

Carbonate Test: a few drops of 6M HCl is added to the aqueous solution of the unknown
compound. Fizzing will indicate the presence of carbonate ion. However, since there is
no fizzing, CO32- is not present in the solution.

Flame Test: 0.1 g of the unknown compound is dissolved into 1 ml of DI water to make
an aqueous solution. Then a Bunsen burner is set up and lit up. A wire is soaked into the
solution and then is held in the burners flame. The color of the flame is the result of the
presence of a particular cation. The flame color turns out to be orange, thus the cation
present is Na+.

Conductivity Test: The Logger Pro conductivity probe is dipped into the aqueous solution
of the unknown compound. The solution is proven to be conductive as the mean value is
2.71X10^4 muS/cm

Graph 1 Conductivity of the unknown compound

After having determined the presence of a halide ion and Na+, the compound
is determined to be NaCl by looking through the list of given compounds to
find one that contain both a halide ion and Na+ ion.

2. Reconfirm the identity of the compound by performing all the tests

again

The compound that is thought to be the given UWC (NaCl) is tested

side by side with the sample 470p using all the same tests performed
on day 1 of the experiment. If the results turn out to be the same, then
the 470p sample ought to be NaCl.
The procedures of the tests are the same as day 1.

Ammonium test: no strange odor detected, thus no NH4+ ion present.

Halide Test: White precipitate formed, thus a halide must be present.

Sulfate Test: no precipitate is formed, thus no SO42- ion present.

Carbonate Test: No fizzing observed, thus no CO32-ion present.

pH: When a pH strip is dipped into the sample NaCl solution, it turns out to be very
blue (pH around 9 or 10). It is later found out to be contaminated. When retested with
an uncontaminated sample of NaCl, the pH was determined to be identical.

Flame Test: Orange color is observed.

Conductivity test: This time, the mean value recorded is 2.99X10^4 (virtually
identical).

Graph 2 - Conductivity of the known NaCl

3. Synthesis
The amount of NaOH needed to make 1g of NaCl:
1 g NaCl

1 mol NaCl 1 mol NaOH 40 g NaOH

=0.684 g NaOH
58.45 g NaCl 1 mol NaCl 1 mol NaOH

The amount of HCl needed to make 1g of NaCl:

1 g NaCl

1 mol NaCl
1 mol H Cl 36.45 g HCl

=0.624 g HCl
58.45 g NaCl 1 mol NaCl
1mol HCl

Chemical equation:
NaOH + HCl -> NaCl + H2O

Table 1 - Amount of chemicals needed to synthesize 1g of NaCl

Reactants

Number of moles
needed

Molecular weight

Amount needed

NaOH

1 mol

40 g/mol

0.684 g

HCl

1mol

36.45 g /mol

0.624 g

The product is then heated so that water is evaporated. After heated, a solid
white compound is left in the beaker. The weight of the solid obtained (NaCl)
is determined to be 0.253g

Expected yield of NaCl

1g

Actual yield of NaCl

0.253g

% yield =

actual value
0.253 g
100=
100 = 25.3%
t h eoretical value
1g

The compound that is synthesized needs to be verified that it is NaCl, the same compound as the
given UWC compound 470p. All of the tests are performed again to testify this.

NH4+ test: No strange smell is detected

Halide Test: a white precipitate was formed.

Sulphate Test: No reaction.

Carbonate Test: No reaction.

pH: neutral (around 6 or 7)

Flame Test: Orange color is observed

Conductivity Test (using the conductivity probe): The value obtained is a bit lower than
that of known NaCl but still higher than H2O.

Discussion
All of the results obtained from the tests support the NaCl identity of the compound.
Meaning of all the tests:
-

Solubility test: The fact that the compound completely dissolves in

water supports the claim that the compound is NaCl. NaCl, an ionic
compound consists of Na+ and Cl-, ought to be dissolved in water,
which is a polar. Table salt (NaCl) dissolves in water because the
polarity of the water (H2O) breaks the ionic bond betwen the Na and
Cl. The two hydrogens are slightly positively charged and so they turn
towards the negative chloride, and in the process they break the ionic
bond. The slightly negative oxygen turns towards the sodium and
again break the ionic bond. (Sodium Chloride Conductivity Standards)

pH test : pH turns out to be neutral (around 6 or 7), suggesting that it is salt.

Ammonium test: If a strong, urine-like odor is detected, then NH4+ ion is present as the
strong odor is an undistinguishable characteristic of NH4+. However, no smell is detected
during the experiment, so no ammonium ion is present.

Halide Test: A halide ion (F-, Cl-, Br-, I-) must be present as a white precipitate is formed
when AgNO3 is added into the aqueous solution of the compound. This white precipitate
is AgCl

Net ionic equation: Ag+ + Cl- -> AgCl (s)

Sulfate Test: no precipitate is formed, so no sulfate ion is present.

Carbonate Test: there is no bubbles or fizzing, so no carbonate ion is present

Flame Test: Flame test is used to test for cations. Since the flame of sodium ion has a
very specific orange color, Na+ ion is concluded to be present.

Conductivity Test (using the conductivity probe): a high value (in muS/cm) indicates that
the aqueous solution of the compound is conductive. The solution is proven to be
conductive as the mean value is around 2.71X10^4 muS/cm. The true conductivity of
NaCl is 1.7 mS/cm
(http://www.riccachemical.com/Catalog/Categories/sodium_chloride_conductivity_stand
ards)

Based on all these results, the compound can be determined as NaCl.

To synthesize 1g of NaCl, 0.684 g of NaOH (Molar mass of 40 g/mol ) and 0.624 g
HCl (molar mass of 36.45 g /mol ) are mixed together. NaOH and HCl are chosen to be the
reactants because these two chemicals are commonly found in a Chemistry stockroom. The
reaction between NaOH and HCl is an acid-base reaction that produces NaCl, the desired
compound. The masses of NaOH and HCl needed to synthesize 1g of NaCl are calculated using
stoichiometry. The chemical equation of the reaction is NaOH + HCl -> NaCl + H2O. This
synthesis reaction is expected to produce 1g NaCl. This is also the theoretical yield. However,
only 0.235g of NaCl is formed. This results in a percent yield of 25.3%
The percent yield serves as a measure of the effectiveness of a synthetic procedure. In this case, a
25.3% percent yield is quite low, but predictable, as synthetic procedure rarely produces the
expected amount of product from the masses of reactants in the reaction. Likely reasons for loss
of yield is when the beaker containing synthesized NaCl is heated on the hot plate, a lot of
substance splatter out of the beaker and thus caused the loss of yield.
There is definitely some errors occurred during the experiment. The NaCl that is used as the
control on day two was found to be very basic when the pH test is performed on it. This NaCl
sample is later proven to be contaminated. Fortunately, this does not affect our results because all
of the other tests besides the pH tests still identiy it to be NaCl.
While a sample NaCl was synthesized, the percent yield is really low (25.3%). This is the
limitations of data of the experiment.
The work can be improved by preventing the splattering of the substance out of the beaker. This
will definitely increase the percent yield. With a more careful procedure, a better percent yield

would probably be achieved.

Conclusion
The goal of the experiment is to identify the identity of a given white compound and synthesize
1g of that compound. In conclusion, the white compound 470p is determined to be NaCl after
performing several tests such as the pH test, the ammonium test, the halide test, the sulfate test,
the carbonate test, the flame test and the conductivity. The identity of the compound is
reconfirmed by performing all the tests on a sample of NaCl obtained from the stockroom.
Finally, NaCl is successfully synthesized by mixing 0.624g HCl and 0.684g NaOH and then
heated to evaporate the water. 25.3g of white compound was synthesized. The compound

synthesized is verified to be NaCl as all the tests performed on this product give the same result.
The percent yield is 25.3%, which is quite low. This is significant because it indicates that the
given white compound is indeed NaCl, which is table salt. It is also significant because NaCl was
synthesized using NaOH and HCl.

References
-

MSDS
Sodium Chloride Conductivity Standards
http://www.riccachemical.com/Catalog/Categories/sodium_chloride_conductivity_standa
rds