Stoichiometry Report

This lab expresses concepts of stoichiometry and the mole, as well as the ideas of conservation of matter. To understand the methods, calculations, and procedures used in this experiment, and therefore grasp the results and the significant meaning of the results, it is important to understand the basic concept of the mole and molarity, as well as a well-developed understanding of stoichiometry. The Mole is a unit of measure.² Its nearly exact value, 6.022x1023,represents a constant known in scientific study as avogadro’s number. This number can be used to represent a number of atoms or molecules.2 Similar to the dozen, a Mole represents an amount, specifically, the number of atoms or molecules of a particular substance. Furthermore, moles

We call the materials that are “mixed” together before a reaction the reactants and the substances that form the products. Then if we know the formulas for the reactants, we are able to determine the number of products by balancing the equation on the smallest molecular scale. This is called stoichiometry.2 Stoichiometry allows us to balance the equation for a reaction, and thus understand the molar ratio. The molar ratio represents the difference in the number of molecules or atoms between two components of a chemical equation through

At which point, the copper oxide was mixed with 13.58 mL sulfuric acid (a tenfold excess). All solid material became aqueous after the reaction. 1

CuO(s) + H2SO4(aq) → CuSO4(aq) + H2O(l)

Zinc Metal was then added to the copper sulfate and residual sulfuric acid to form zinc sulfate, copper metal, and hydrogen gas. At which point the copper metal settled and was removed and dried.1

CuSO4(aq) + Zn(s) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)

H2SO4(aq) + Zn(s) → ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)

Hypothesis

If a set amount of copper is used at the beginning of the reactions, and no substances are removed, then the initial amount of copper will be equal to the subsequent final amount of copper. Due to the law of conservation of mass.3

Importance of work This lab further verifies the law of conservation of mass, a concept that is pivotal to the very nature of stoichiometry. By using molar methods and evaluating reactions through stoichiometric means, the experiment addresses the validity of the understanding regarding chemical reactions. This work is important in addressing the scientific nature of repeatability and evidence, which further supports the concept of conservation of mass, a part of the very foundation of thought within