Hesss Law Lab: Determine the Heat of Formation

Page 1

Objective
In this calorimetry experiment, the Hrxn, two separate reactions (equations 1,2, & 3) will be determined
experimentally, and Hesss Law will be used to determine the find the H fo of MgO.

Mg ( s ) +2 HCl ( aq ) MgC l 2 (aq)+ H 2( g)

MgO ( s )+ 2 HCl ( aq ) MgC l 2 ( aq ) + H 2 O( l)
1
H 2 ( g ) + O2 ( g ) H 2 O(l)
2

(1)
(2)
(3)

Experimental Design
Samples of accurately measured magnesium ribbon were added to hydrochloric acid (1.0 M) in a doublecupped Styrofoam calorimeter. The temperature change effected by the reaction between magnesium
hydrochloric acid was measured using an alcohol thermometer at increments until the temperature
changed no more.
Hesss Law is based on that enthalpy is a state function, meaning that the overall enthalpy of a reaction
can be calculated by manipulating the elementary steps that result in the final reaction. For this reason,
only the initial state of the reactants and the final state of the products matter. As such, the following
manipulation is justified:

Mg ( s ) +2 HCl ( aq ) MgC l 2 (aq)+ H 2( g)

[ MgO ( s ) +2 HCl ( aq ) MgC l 2 ( aq )+ H 2 O ( l ) ]

1+2

Mg ( s ) + H 2 O ( l ) H 2 ( g )+ MgO (s )

(4)

Mg ( s ) + H 2 O ( l ) H 2 ( g )+ MgO (s )

4+3

1
Mg ( s ) + O2 MgO(s)
2

(5)

The enthalpy of reaction was calculated using the following equations, assuming that the heat the acidic
solution absorbed was equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to the heat that the products lost while
being formed:

then,

q HCl =qsoln

(6)

q soln=m s T

(7)

Hesss Law Lab: Determine the Heat of Formation

and

H rxn=

Materials
Consumables

Mg ribbon
MgO powder
HCl (1.0M)

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q soln
mol reactant

(8)

Non-consumables

Styrofoam calorimeter
Balance (+/-0.01g); graduated cylinder
Rubber stopper, cardboard, timer
Thermometer (+/-0.5oC)

Procedure
Reaction between Mg and HCl
A determined length of magnesium (7cm) was cut to correlate to about 0.10g of Mg metal. Hydrochloric
acid (50 mL, 1.0M) was added to a calorimeter using a graduated cylinder and the mass of the calorimeter
and acid was determined using an electronic balance (+/- 0.01g). The Mg ribbon was then added to the
calorimeter and the timer was started for the temperature to be measured at 30second intervals until the
temperature stopped changing. The calorimeter was covered with a cardboard to prevent heat loss and a
rubber stopper-thermometer apparatus used to stir and measure the temperature through the cardboard.
The same setup was used for the MgO and hydrochloric acid, but around 0.30g of MgO powder was
measured. Three trials were done for each reaction.
Data
mass
Mg/length
Mg

1.57 Mg/m
Trial 1

Trial 2

Mass Mg (+/0.01g)

0.11

0.11

0.11

Mass
calorimeter
(+/-0.01g)

4.15

4.13

Mass
calorimeter +
HCl (+/0.01g)

54.69

Initial T (+/0.5oC)

Trial 3

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Mass MgO (+/0.01g)

0.30

0.30

0.31

4.15

Mass calorimeter
(+/-0.01g)

4.15

4.13

4.15

53.90

56.48

Mass
calorimeter+HCl(+/
-0.01g)

54.09

53.06

54.52

24.0

25.5

25.8

Initial T (+/-0.5oC)

25.1

25.0

25.2

T at 30s

25.4

27.1

28.0

T at 30s

26.1

25.0

26.1

T at 60s

28.8

31.1

32.1

T at 60s

26.2

26.1

26.8

T at 90s

30.9

32.2

34.3

T at 90s

26.3

26.5

27.2

T at 120s

33.0

33.8

34.5

T at 120s

26.7

26.9

27.6

T at 150s

32.4

34.1

34.4

T at 150s

27.0

27.1

28.0

T at 180s

32.1

34.1

34.2

T at 180s

27.0

27.5

28.4

T at 210s

32.1

34.0

T at 210s

Sample calculation for trial 1 of Mg + HCl:

0.07 m

1.57 g
=0.11 g Mg
m

q=[ 0.11 g+ ( 54.69 g4.15 g ) ]

H rxn=

q
=
mol Mg

4.18 J
o
9.0 C =1900.89 J =1 . 9 kJ
o
C g

1 . 9 kJ
Mg
0.11 g 1 mol
24.31 g

27.0

28.2