Niagara High School

Density of a Metal lab

Anne Nanninga
Chemistry
Mrs. Stockel
20 November 2018
Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to figure out the density of a metal.
Abstract: Each person was given a cup full of metal by Mrs. Stockel. Each person then divided
their cup into two separate piles. They then set the separate piles of metal individually onto the
electronic balance. By doing this they found the mass.Each person found the mass of both of the
metal piles they were given by Mrs. Stockel by putting each pile individually on the electronic
balance. They then filled their graduate cylinder with 30mL of water and put each pile separately
into the cylinder. By doing so they found the volume of their piles by subtracting 30mL from
how much the water rose in their cylinder. Each person then divided their mass of each pile by
its volume to find its density. They then graphed all their points on a graph.

Hypothesis: If density is an intrinsic physical property, then no matter what amount of metal you
have, density should remain the same.

Background Information:
Density (g/mL) = Mass (g)/Volume (mL)
Intrinsic Physical Property: A property that is independent of the quantity of matter present
("Intrinsic Physical Property").
Example: The density of gold is the same no matter how much gold you have to measure.
Materials:
● Graduated Cylinder (100 mL)
● Water (30 mL)
● Electronic Balance
● Petri Dish
● Metal (2 piles per person)

Sketch:
Procedure: The metal piles were set on an electronic balance individually to find their mass.
The results were then recorded. The 100 mL graduated cylinder was filled with water to 30 mL.
The metal piles were than poured separately into the cylinder to determine the volume. The
results were then recorded. The mass was then divided by the volume to find out the density. The
results were then recorded. Finally, the results were put onto a graph.

Data Table/Observation:
Group # Mass Volume Density

1 (Anne) 47.34g 12.0mL 3.9g/mL

2 (Anne) 40.09g 9.0mL 4.4g/mL

3 (Brady) 17.45g 3.5mL 5.0g/mL

4 (Brady) 21.15g 4.2mL 5.0g/mL

5 (Lexi) 21.17g 5.2mL 4.1g/mL

6 (Lexi) 47.58g 9.0mL 5.3g/mL

7 (Raven) 30.68g 7.8mL 3.9g/mL

8 (Raven) 33.09g 6.8mL 4.8g/mL

● The metal was grey, shaped irregularly, and contained holes in it.

Analysis:
Group 1: 47.34g/12.0mL=3.9g/mL
Group 2: 40.09g/9.0mL= 4.4g/mL
Group 3: 17.45g/3.5mL=5.0g/mL
Group 4: 21.15g/4.2mL=5.0g/mL
Group 5: 21.17g/5.2mL=4.1g/mL
Group 6: 47.58g/9.0mL=5.3g/mL
Group 7: 30.68g/7.8mL=3.9g/mL
Group 8: 33.09g/6.9mL=4.8g/mL

Conclusion:
We found the density of Aluminum to be 3.9-5.3g/mL. Group # 1, the density was 3.9g/mL.
Group # 2, the density was 4.4g/mL. Group # 3, the density was 5.0g/mL. Group # 4, the density
was 5.0g/mL. Group # 5, the density was 4.1g/mL. Group # 6, the density was 5.3g/mL. Group #
7, the density was 3,9g/mL. Group # 8, the density was 4.8g/mL. Density is intrinsic, so no
matter what amount you have, density should remain the same. Although, in the table above that
is proven wrong. The density was found by taking the volume of the metal pile and dividing it
by the mass of the metal pile to equal the density. Showing that density will not remain the same
no matter what. How to find percent error: Accepted Value - Experimental Value / Accepted
Value. Then multiply the answer by 100 to get the percent.While doing the lab I found that due
to human error not all of the densities were the same.

Works Cited
"Intrinsic Physical Property." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam Webster, 2011. Web. 10

November 2018.