Alexandra Benas ID:128807 Due date: 19/07/2013 Lab Report #1 Dr.

Valachas

MEASUREMENT OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES : DENSITY

Introduction:

The purpose of the experiment is to define and explain the concept of density, and give examples. To compare the mass of substances for a specific volume, density is the physical property that allows us to do so. The ratio of mass to volume is density, which is an intensive property. Intensive properties are those whose values do not depend on the amount of substance present. On the other hand, extensive properties are the ones whose value depends on the amount of material present, such as mass and volume. Such physical properties are observed or measured without changing the substance in to another substance. The second purpose of the experiment is to explain the usefulness of density measurements. In g/cm3 (g/ml) is how densities of solid and liquid substances are usually expressed. Density is a significant characteristic property of a material. The density of water for example is 1.000 g/ml at 4 degree Celsius and a density of 0.998 g/ml at 20 degree Celsius. Lead has a density of 11.4 g/ml at 20 degree Celsius. The third purpose of the experiment is to explain how the density of a solid/liquid can be measured. Liquids and solids mostly expand when they are heated, and with that their density

decreases. Such measurements can also be used to determine whether a substance is in its pure form. Finally, we also have to experimentally determine the density of any small sample of solid using the laboratory equipment provided.

Materials and Procedure:

The material and equipment used for the experiment were samples of metals (copper, Iron, and Aluminum), triple beam balances, graduated cylinders 100 ml, and a calculator. First all the materials needed were gathered. Their mass was measured using the scale, and the results were recorded. The right number of significant figures was used. Then the volume was measured in an orderly fashion. First, water of 79 ml was placed in a 100ml graduated cylinder, so the solid metal could be placed inside, and calculate the volume of the metal. The volume of the metal was calculated by using the formula: V(V=V2-V1). V1 is the volume of the water alone, and V2 is the volume after the solid was placed in the V1. The results were recorder and replicated for accuracy. Secondly, the density of the three metals was calculated using a formula: d = m/V, then the average density of metals was calculated. In order to come to a conclusion of the metals name, we went to a computer and searched for literature values for the density of different metals. Finally, we calculated the percentage error, by using the formula:

Percentage Error = Density from Data Density from Literature x 100 Density from Literature Data/Results: DATA Mass of solid (m) Volume of water (V1) Volume of water with solid in it (V2) METAL A 47.5 77.5 96 METAL B 138.7 75.5 94.5 METAL C 166 76.5 96

Volume of solid (V) Density from data Average density Identification of solid Percentage error

18.5 2.56 Aluminum -5.18%

19 7.3 Iron 7.87 -7.24%

19.5 8.51 Copper 8.96 -5.02%

Density from literature 2.7

The three metals tested had different densities. Which means that their mass was different, their volume though not so much. This became obvious as soon as we measured their mass and volume, and then divided the mass over the volume, which gave us the density of the metals. The reason why we measured the density was so we could find their mass per unit volume. Volume is the amount of space an object holds, which we measured with a graduated cylinder. On the other hand, the mass was measured on a triple balance scale very accurately, so we can see the pull of gravity of the metal. Through a metal's density we can come to a conclusion whether a substance is pure or not. Since our percentage errors were not significantly high, our samples of metals are pure. To check the purity of gold, we have to consider that gold's pure density is 19.30. Then we would have to measure its mass and its volume and divide them in order to get the density. Finally, we would check for the percentage error, and conclude if a specific sample of gold is pure or not. Moving further on to why ice floats on water. Knowing that most substances when they are in their solid state are more dense than they are when they are in their liquid state, we would suspect that ice would not float on water. Well this is not the case, as frozen water is one of the exceptions. Each water molecule consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, which are connected by covalent bonds. When and as water reaches 4 degrees Celsius, the hydrogen bond adjusts in order to hold the negatively charged oxygen atoms apart, and through this ice appears as we know it. In short, ice floats on water because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. Meaning that ice uses 9% less space than does water (in liquid form). A proof of this that we see in our everyday life, is that a bottle of iced water

is lighter than water in room temperature. This phenomena is a good thing, because if ice was more dense, then lakes and rivers for example would freeze from the bottom up, and possibly making it very hard for sea species to survive. The accuracy of the measurements was precise even though we got percentages errors from -5.02 - -7.24, that is because every time we would place the metal in the water the rope attached to the metal would absorb some water, and therefore the measurements were not 99.999999 % accurate.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the densities of the three metals were measured, making evident that the metals were pure. Even though the metals did not differ in their volume, they did differ in their densities. Aluminum being the less dense, and copper the more dense. Knowing how to measure the densities of solid substances is a knowledge that I did not have ever, or at least did not remember, so I found this lab activity very educational, and interesting. Even though we replicated the measurements for each sample, we kept getting different numbers. The numbers did not have significant differences, but they did, and this troubled us, until we realized that this was happening because water was being absorbed by the rope attached to the samples.

http://chemistry.bd.psu.edu/jircitano/density.html