Will and Maeve

Quantitative Analysis Lab Report(Green Group)

In this lab, 8 unknown substances were identified using only one known reagent, sulfuric
acid in our case. These substance were identified through many reactions(or non-reactions) and
their results.
#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

NaCl

KI

Pb(NO3)2

SrCl2

Na2SO4

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

NaHCO3

(Figure 1.0)
This tray(see figure 1.0) shows each reaction of the all 8 unknown substances reacting
with Sulfuric Acid. The tray number corresponds with the substance number. After these
reactions, a table of possible substances for each number was created as shown in figure 1.1.
#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

NaCl

KI

Pb(NO3)2

SrCl2

Na2SO4

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

NaHCO3

KI

NaCl

SrCl2

Pb(NO3)2

NaCl

CaCO3

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

Na2SO4

Na2SO4

KI

NaHCO3

NaHCO3

Ca(OH)2

As seen, lead nitrate and strontium chloride are the only possibilities for both 3 and 4
which is expected because their solubility traits are similar. Additionally, 6-8 are all substances
that form gases when reacted with sulfuric acid. The remaining unknowns are all substances
that do not react with sulfuric acid.
To differentiate all of these possible choices, each of the substances solubility traits were
analyzed and compared. The simplest to differentiate were the lead nitrate and the strontium
chloride as one rule separated them: lead chloride is insoluble and Strontium chloride is soluble.

Unfortunately, no substance with chloride has been identified for certain at this point, so
substances 1,2, and 5-the possible substances that could contain a chloride salt- were put into
columns 1 and 2 such that substance 1 is in row 1 column 1 and 2 and substance 2 is in row 2
column 2. Substance 3 and 4 were put into columns 1 and 2 such that substance 3 is in column
1 rows 1,2, and 3 and substance 4 is put into column 2 rows 1,2, and 3. The substance in the
wells in the column that did not have any precipitate form would follow the solubility rules of
strontium chloride and the other would be lead nitrate. In figure 2.0, the wells in column 1 all had
a reaction and column 2 had little to no reactions. Not only could the lead nitrate and the
strontium chloride be identified, but also potassium iodide could be identified due to the distinct
yellow color of lead iodide which could only form when potassium iodide reacted with lead
nitrate.
#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

NaCl

KI

Pb(NO3)2

SrCl2

Na2SO4

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

NaHCO3

NaCl

CaCO3

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

NaHCO3

NaHCO3

Ca(OH)2

Na2SO4

The above table shows the possible substances after the first 2 tests. To distinguish the three
gas producing substances(6,7,8), they are all reacted with strontium chloride. Only one
produces a precipitate which fits the solubility rules for Ca(OH)2. Additionally, NaHCO3 is the
only substance to only produce a gas and not a solid when reacted with sulfuric acid which
matches the well 8 in figure 1. The last two substances, NaCl and N
a2SO4, were found by
reacting substance 1 and 5 with the strontium chloride as strontium chloride does not react with
NaCl, but does react with N
a2SO4. After these final reactions the final table was created with all
the substances successfully identified.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

NaCl

KI

Pb(NO3)2

SrCl2

Na2SO4

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

NaHCO3

In the beginning, as the sulfuric acid was being added to the substances, there was a small
trace of some white powder in the wells that made it seem like the acid reacted with every
substance. This powder swayed the results significantly until it was identified that the wells have
been contaminated. All in all, identifying the substances was no more than following a linear
path of logic working through the possibilities of each step and eliminating possible substances
until there is only one possible substance for each.