Name: ________________________________ Teacher: _______________ Date Per:_________

Yr.& Sec.: _____________________ Seat No. ______ Group No._______ Date Sub: _________

Activity No. 1.2

Determination of the Chemical Formula of a Hydrate

PRE-LAB ACTIVITY PROBLEMS: (Answer these questions before you start the computer simulation.)

1. Ba(OH)2•8H2O is called ________________________________. It is a solid compound.

a. How are the water molecules bonded to the Ba(OH)2 structure? Draw a diagram if it
helps.

b. Define the terms "hydrate" and "anhydrous" in a chemistry context.

c. What is the % by mass of H2O in 10.0 g of Ba(OH)2•8H2O ?

3. A hydrate of sodium phosphate, Na3PO4, contains 49.7% water by weight.

a) How many grams of water and how many grams of anhydrous Na3PO4 are in 100
grams of this sample?

b) In this same 100-gram sample, how many moles of water and how many moles of
anhydrous Na3PO4 are present?

c) What is the formula of the hydrate?

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PROBLEM:
You will be experimenting with a decomposition reaction (dehydration) and determining
the formula of the hydrate.

PROCEDURE:
When copper (II) sulfate hydrate, a blue crystalline solid containing embedded water
molecules (called a hydrate), is heated in air, it loses the water molecules and the blue solid is
transformed to a white anhydrous (no water) crystal known as copper (II) sulfate.
1. Use the computer simulation to determine (a) the percentage of water in copper (II)
sulfate hydrate and (b) the number of water molecules per unit of copper(II) sulfate hydrate:
CuSO4 •xH2O. Determine "x", where x is a whole number. The computer simulation from
animationsindex by Tom Greenbowe, Professor of Chemistry and Coordinator of General
Chemistry, Iowa State University can be found at the following URL:

http://www.chem.iastate.edu/group/Greenbowe/sections/projectfolder/flashfiles/stoichiometry/e
mpirical.html

2. Note the initial and final masses of the compound from the simulation. Calculate mass
(and hence) moles of H2O that was driven off. Calculate the number of moles of CuSO 4 present.
Determine the ratio of moles of water to moles of CuSO4. Show calculations. Write the complete
formula for copper (II) sulfate hydrate, CuSO4.xH2O.

DATA:

Initial Mass: ______________________

Final Mass: ______________________

Time of Heating: __________________

COMPUTATION:

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POST-LAB QUESTIONS:

1. How do you know when the reaction is complete? ___________________________________

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2. What are the common names of copper (II) sulfate hydrate? Where is it used?
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3. Define the following terms: hygroscopic, desiccant, deliquescent. _______________________

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4. What would happen if a small amount (0.2ml) of water is added to 10.0 g of solid anhydrous
CuSO4? What happens to the color? Write an equation that describes this process. How is this
different from the experiment that you did in the simulation?
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5. What type of bonding is used between the Cu2+ cation and the SO42- anion, in CuSO4 ? ( ionic,
covalent, metallic) Write an equation for the process of solid CuSO4 xH2O dissolving in water.
How is this different from the process in Question 4?
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CONCLUSION:
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