Learning Objective: Students will be able to use the method of density displacement to correctly identify five unknown metals and then calculate their percent error.
1. Using a squirt bottle, fill up a graduated cylinder with 30.0 mL of water. In order for this to work you have to be as precise as you can.
2. Grab one cube of each unknown metal. There are five unknowns!! DO NOT MIX UP THE NUMBERS ON THE METALS.
3. Weigh one cube of the unknown metal on an electronic balance. Record its mass.
4. Place the cube in the graduated cylinder and see how much water is displaced by the unknown metal. Record the amount of water displaced by the cube. TRY TO BE PRECISE!!
5. Calculate the density of the metal from your data in steps 3 and 4.
6. Repeat the above procedure 3 times for each unknown metal.
Mr. Saucedo 2. Chem Unknown #1 Trial Mass of the Unknown (g) Volume of Sample (mL) Density of the Sample (g/mL) 1 2 Average
Unknown #2 Trial Mass of the Unknown (g) Volume of Sample (mL) Density of the Sample (g/mL) 1 2 Average
Unknown #3 Trial Mass of the Unknown (g) Volume of Sample (mL) Density of the Sample (g/mL) 1 2 Average
Unknown #4 Trial Mass of the Unknown (g) Volume of Sample (mL) Density of the Sample (g/mL) 1 2 Average
What do you think the identity of Unknown Metal #1 is?
___________________ _ What do you think the identity of Unknown Metal #2 is?
___________________ _ What do you think the identity of Unknown Metal #3 is?
___________________ _ What do you think the identity of Unknown Metal #4 is?
___________________ _
Mr. Saucedo 3. Chem Unknown #5 Trial Mass of the Unknown (g) Volume of Sample (mL) Density of the Sample (g/mL) 1 2 Average
Actual Densities: What are the identities and actual densities of the unknowns? Ill tell you this towards the end of the class.
Unknown #1 actually is ____________________ and has a density of _____________.
Unknown #2 actually is ____________________ and has a density of _____________.
Unknown #3 actually is ____________________ and has a density of _____________.
Unknown #4 actually is ____________________ and has a density of _____________.
Unknown #5 actually is ____________________ and has a density of _____________.
Percent Error Calculations: Using the formula below, calculate your percent error. The actual value is the actual density of each unknown metal. The experimental value will be your average density for each sample. Show your work for each unknown in the space below and box your answers! (You should have five calculations)
What do you think the identity of Unknown Metal #5 is?
___________________ _
Mr. Saucedo 4. Chem Final Evaluation: Answer the following in complete sentences. Were your results close to the expected density values? What might account for some of the differences in the density values that you measured and the actual density values of each metal? If you were to redo this experiment, what are two things that you would change or do differently?