Purpose

The purpose of this lab is to produce hydrogen gas from magnesium and
hydrochloric acid and to determine how much hydrogen gas was made.

Materials: plastic bin, gas tube, beaker, size 00 two holed stopper, thin
copper wire, magnesium, ribbon, thermometer, ringstand, clamp, 10mL 6M
HCl.

MSDS information

Magnesium ribbon- stable, harmful if swallowed/inhaled, wear safety goggles

Copper wire- stable, only harmful is dust, precautions needed only if dust

Hydrochloric acid- stable, corrosive, poisonous, burns, use suitable ventilation

and safety goggles.

Hypothesis

If we combine known amounts of magnesium and hydrochloric acid then we

will produce an amount of hydrogen gas that can be measured with a battery
jar and predicted theoretically based on the amount of reactants.

Data

Run one Run two

Temperature of air(⁰C) 23.4 23.2

Temperature of water 26.7 24.8

(⁰C)

Length of ribbon (cm) 3.52 3.11

Volume of gas (mL) 44.41 39.8

Atmospheric pressure 79.69 79.69

(torr)

Description of reaction Small bubbles at first Small bubbles at first

generated, bubble size generated with larger
increased gradually, bubbles trailing smaller
reaction suddenly ones, bubble size
stopped increased gradually,
reaction suddenly
stopped

1
 Results

Partial pressure of water vapor= (Partial pressure of water at 24⁰C - Partial pressure
of water at 23⁰C)* (temperature of air-23⁰C) + Partial pressure of water at 23⁰C

Run one: Pressure of water vapor = (22.4torr-21.1torr)*(23.4⁰C-23⁰C) + 21.1torr=

21.6torr

Run two: Pressure of water vapor = (22.4torr-21.1torr)*(23.2⁰C-23⁰C) + 21.1torr=

21.4torr

Pressure of hydrogen gas= Pressure of hydrogen gas and water vapor- pressure of
water vapor

Run one: Pressure of hydrogen gas= 79.69 torr -21.6 torr=53.5torr

Run two: Pressure of hydrogen gas= 79.69 torr -21.4 torr=58.3torr

Moles of hydrogen gas = Pressure of hydrogen gas* volume of hydrogen gas /(R*
temperature of water)

Run one: Moles of hydrogen gas = 53.5 torr* .04441 L /(62.37 torr L/moles*⁰C*
26.7⁰C)=.00143 moles hydrogen gas

Run two: Moles of hydrogen gas = 58.3 torr* .04441 L /(62.37 torr L/moles*⁰C*
23.2⁰C)=.00179 moles hydrogen gas

Teamwork Skills

Peter: I shared the process of recording with John and encouraged him to help
make sure water was not leaking from the gas tube while he persuaded me to
hold the tube in a different way.