Creating Solutions of Standard Molarity Areli Jaimes Chemistry Lab 1251 048 October 10, 2012

Introduction This experiment teaches how to prepare Cu2+ standard molarity solutions by diluting a solution made from copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate and introduced to spectroscopy, the study of absorption, emission, or scattering of electromagnetic radiation by matter using the instrument Spec 20. After learning how to use the Spec. 20, the instrument was used to find the wavelength at which absorbance by Cu2+ has maximum value. Then learning to apply the law of spectroscopy, or the Beer Lambert Law, it was used to determine Cu2+ concentration in an unknown solution. Procedure This experiment consisted of four parts. Part 1 the instrument was warmed for 15 minutes at wavelength 580 nm. Ten test tubes were labeled with tape and a vertical line drawn on them. The spec 20 was then calibrated by closing the well and setting it to 0% transmittance. A tube was clean and rinsed with distilled water, then filled full of distilled water, it was placed in the spec 20 and set to 100% transmittance. Another test tube was then rinsed with solution whose absorbance was measured and filled with 0.200 M standard solution of CuSO4. Procedure was repeated at 590 nm and 600 nm. Part 2 the absorbance of standard copper (II)

solutions was measured and plotted on a calibration curve. It was done by setting wavelength to maximum absorbance and measuring percent transmittance for 0.500 M, 0.200 M, 0.100 M, and 0.050 M CuSO4 standard solutions. Part 3 copper (II) solutions of different concentrations were created, from 20.0 mL of a 0.500 M solution from solid CuSO4 * 5H2O. Then weighed the solid with a 100 mL beaker then added 15mL of water to mix the solid together. With a Pasteur pipette water was added until the meniscus reached 20 mL. The mixture was transferred between a graduated cylinder and beaker until a homogeneous mixture was present. This became the first solution. This process was repeated to make 20.0 mL of 0.100 M CuSO4 from the 0.200 M solution, then 20.0 mL of a 0.050 M CuSO4 solution from the 0.100 M solution then percent transmittance was measured with the spec 20. Part 4 consisted of deducing the concentration of a copper(II) solution. At this step a cuvette with CuSO4 solution of unknown concentration was measured to determine percent transmittance and its value recorded. Results The results for percent transmittance for the standard 0.200 M Cu2+ at 580 nm, 590 nm, and 600 nm, were 70%, 83.4%, and 94.6% in their respective order. The concentrations of standard molarity measured were 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5, percent transmittance was 88%, 80.6%, 68.4%, and 43.0% respectively. The absorbance results were as follows, .055, .093, .165, and .367 respectively. Calculated values of absorbance for each standard Cu2+ solution are as follows 0.05, 0.09, 0.16, and 0.36. Formula used for absorbance calculations: Equation 1. A = 2 log(%T). Where A is the maximum absorbance and T is the transmittance. Results for the made solutions, unknown solution, and percent error calculations are shown in their respective tables, 4,5,6,7,

and 8. In table 6 the unknown substance was determined by applying the beer lambert law and its principles. The law is represented by the equation A=e*l*c Where A is the absorbance of the solution, e is the absorptivity ( how well the substance absorbs light), l is path length, and c is concentration of solution. See table 6 for results of unknown substance.

Table 1 Displays the standard percent transmittance and maximum absorbance for part 1. Mstandard (mol/L) Wavelength, (nm) % Transmittance Maximum Absorbance (A) 0.200 M 0.200 M 0.200 M 580 590 600 70% 83.4% 94.6% .164 .079 .024

Table 2 Displays measured values of %T for standard Cu2+ solutions with corresponding absorbance. Concentration of Standards (M) 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5 88% 80.6% 68.4% 43.0% .055 .093 .165 .367 %T Absorbance

Table 3 Displays calculated values of absorbance using equation A = 2 log(%T) for standard Cu2+ Solutions.
Concentration of Standards (M) 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5 Absorbance 0.05 0.09 0.16 0.36

Table 4 Displays measured values of %T for made Cu2+ solutions with corresponding absorbance. Concentration of the Made Solutions (M) 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5 %T 78.0% 61.6% 36.8% 33.0% Absorbance .108 .210 .439 .482

Table 5 Displays the calculated actual concentration of each solution Concentration of the Made Solutions (M) 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5 Absorbance .108 .210 .439 .482 Actual Concentration 0.001 0.003 0.011 0.014

Table 6 Displays the data on the unknown copper solution. Solution Unknown %T 56.4% Absorbance .250 Concentration (M) 0.53

Table 7 Displays the percent error of each made solution versus the given standard solutions. Solution number 1 2 3 4 Concentration of standard solution 0.05 M 0.1 M 0.2 M 0.5 M Concentration of made solution 0.001 M 0.003 M 0.011 M 0.014 M Calculated % Error 49% 32.3 % 17.2 % 34.7 %

Table 8 Displays the absorbance values from the created copper (II) solutions versus the standard solutions. Solution number 1 2 3 4 Absorbance of standard solution .055 .093 .165 .367 Absorbance of made solution .108 .210 .439 .482 Calculated % error 49% 55.7% 62.4% 23.8%

Using the data from table 2 the following Figure 1 was created depicting the Absorption of Copper(II) Sulfate Solution.

Figure 1.

Absorption of Copper(II) Sulfate Solution

0.4 0.35 y = 0.1008x - 0.082 R = 0.8761

Absorbstion (A)

0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

3.5

4.5

Concenstration (mol/L)

Discussion In figure 1 data received from measuring the solution at 580 nm, 590 nm, and 600 nm was used to calculate absorbance by using equation 1. The maximum absorbance was found at 600 nm and was the chosen wavelength for the remaining solutions. Data from tables 4 and 5 were compared to the standard solutions to measure the accuracy of this technique and experiment. Accuracy or percent error can be calculated using the equation Equation 3 [(Measured value actual value)/ actual value] x 100 %

Data from table 3 was taken to make the beer lambert plot (figure 1) as another method in determining the unknown solutions concentration. Conclusion It was found with support from the data absorbance is proportional to concentration. When the concentration of a molecule or compound is high or rises, in this case CuSO4 absorbance levels would also rise. In reverse as well, the lower the concentration the lower the absorbance as well. With the techniques such as spectroscopy it was determined that the unknown solution had a concentration of 0.53 M. However, the reliability of this result was questioned due to the evident percent error in the calculations. With the percent error calculations it was determined that this technique was too inaccurate. This could have been due to the often irregularity of the cuvette glass, or small to no effect of the solvent, or that at higher points of concentration the beer lambert law is not as reliable. Sample Calculations 1. Absorbance = 2 log(%T) = 2 log(78) = 0.10 2. Concentration = absorbance/(e(absorptivity) x l) = (A = kc) = (y = mx + b) = (.108/78) = (78c/78) = 0.001 3. Mass of Solute = moles of solute x molar mass of solute = .01 mol x 249.69g = 2.50 g 4. %error = [(measured value actual value)/actual value] x 100% = [(.055-.108)/.108] x 100% = 49% error