Friends Boys School

Chemistry Lab Report #10

The enthalpy change of a reaction

Ali Tarsha

11C
Data collection:

Qualitative data :

Copper sulphate solution had a transparent blue colour with small bubbles ,it was left and
exposed to air for 2 minutes , no change occurred on its colour , after , the solution was
added to zinc grey soft powder and stirred , the colour of solution changed to grey with
brown precipitate , 15 minutes later , the solution colour changed to olive like dark colour
and the colour of precipitate (Zinc ) was brownish .

Quantitative data:

Table #1 : The measurements of reactants are presented in the table below .

Measurement Value

Mass Zinc measured by digital balance (g) ±0.01g. 1.43g

Concentration of copper (II) sulfate mol dm-3 ±0.001 mol dm-3 0.500 mol dm-3

Volume of copper (II) sulfate measured by graduated cylinder ( cm3 )±0.1 cm3 50.0 cm3

Table #2: The readings of copper (II) sulfate temperatures measured in the first two minutes before the
addition of Zinc are presented below .

Time measured by stop watch (s) ± 0.01s Temperature measured by thermometer ˚C ± 0.5˚C

30.00 26.5

60.00 26.5

90 .00 26.5

120.00 26.5
Table #3: The readings of copper (II) sulfate + Zinc temperatures measured for 15 minutes .

Time measured by stop watch (s) ± 0.01s Temperature measured by thermometer ˚C ± 0.5˚C

150.00 29.8
180.00 31.5
210.00 32.0
240.00 32.3
270.00 32.7

300.00 34.0
330.00 36.0

360.00 37.4
390.00 38.6

420.00 39.2
450.00 39.7
480.00 39.9

510.00 40.0
540.00 40.2
570.00 40.3
600.00 40.7
630.00 40.8
660.00 40.9
690.00 41.0
720.00 40.5
750.00 40.2
780.00 40.0
810.00 39.8

840.00 39.7
870.00 39.6
900.00 39.5
930.00 39.4
960.00 39.3
990.00 39.1
1020.00 39.0
Data processing:

ΔH=-218.0 KJ , enthalpy is quantity of energy that exist in the reactants , for the equation above :
Zn(s) + CuSO4 (aq) ---------> Cu(s) + ZnSO4 (aq)
There is 218.0 KJ in each mole , the negative (-) indicates that the reaction is exothermic .

A graph is plotted to find the final temperature by extrapolation .

Graph #1: temperature in C vs. time in seconds is plotted in the graph below .

45
Temperature in C vs. Time in seconds
40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Tf = 44.6 ˚C .
1-Total mass of the reactants = mass of zinc (g) + volume of copper sulfate ( cm3)

=50.0cm3 + 1.43g= 51.4 g

2-Calculate 𝑄 = 𝑚𝑐∆𝑇 .

mass=51.43 g , C = 4.18Jg-1K-1 , Ti = 26.5 ˚C , Tf = 44.6 ˚C.

Q=(51.4 g) ×(4.18 Jg-1K-1) × (44.6˚C -26.5 ˚C ) = - 3891 J

Q== -3.891 KJ

3-Determining the limiting reagent :

Zn(s) + CuSO4 (aq) ---------> Cu(s) + ZnSO4 (aq)

Molar mass of Zinc =65.38 gmol-1

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 1.43
Moles of Zn= 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 65.38 = 0.0219 𝑚𝑜𝑙

Moles of CuSO4= Concentration × Volume = 0.5 × ( 50/1000) = 0.025 mol

Moles Ratio is 1:1

Zn is limiting reagent .

3- Calculate enthalpy change (ΔH) .

𝑄
∆𝐻 = − 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡

−3.891
∆𝐻 = 0.0219
= −𝟏𝟕𝟖 KJmol-1
Error analysis :
∆m 0.01
1-%U in mass of Zinc measured by digital balance = m × 100 = 1.43 g × 100 = 0.7%

∆V 0.1
2-%U in Volume of Copper(II)Sulfate measured by graduated cylinder= v × 100 = 50
× 100 = 0.2%

∆T 1.0
3-%U in Temperature of water measured by thermometer= t × 100 = 18.1 C˚
× 100 = 5.5%

∆Concentration
4-%U in Concentration of Copper(II)Sulfate measured by parameter= x100%
𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
0.001
= 0.500
x100%= 0.2%

5- %U total = 0.7% + 0.2% + 5.5% + 0.2% = 7%

6- Molar mass of acetone = −178KJmol-1 ± total %uncertainty

= −178 KJmol-1± 7%
= −𝟏𝟕𝟖 KJmol-1± 13 KJmol--1

7- Percentage error for the mass percentage= | Theoretical value – experimental value/ Theoretical value|
× 100% = │ 218.0 KJmol--1–178 KJmol--1 │× 100%
218.0 KJmol--1
= 18%
Conclusion and Evaluation :

The theoretical value for the molar mass of acetone is (-218.0 KJmol--1) , and the
experimental value obtained is (−𝟏𝟕𝟖 KJmol-1± 13 KJmol--1) ,which is inaccurate(18%
error).

The reaction that took place between Zinc and Copper(II) Sulphate is an exothermic one
,this reaction exerts heat to the surrounding environment raising temperature. The
temperature of solution increased as the reaction progressed .This is noticeable from my
results , when Zinc powder was added to Copper(II) Sulphate solution , temperature faced
a significant increase in its value as it increased from 26.5˚C to 41.0˚C.The reaction
between Zinc and Copper(II)Sulphate is spontaneous , temperature rapidly then slowed
down later at interval .

The percentage error is 18% ,and the total uncertainty percentage is 7% , as result it’s
concluded that the main reason for error was a systematic one, this means that our
experiment was precise but lacked accuracy, still possible sources of error that affected
both systematic and random error may include:
a-Systematic errors :

Systematic errors :

1- Thermometer was in touch with the walls of plastic which increased the
temperature reading taken.
2- The plastic cup wasn’t isolated enough .

3- Time wasn’t bounded exactly every 30 seconds due to human error in using the stop
watch
4- Heat transfer from cup to surroundings , the temperature readings will be less than
true reading since the room temperature is less than that of the solution .
5- The specific heat capacities of thermometer and plastic cup were ignored in the
reaction , which increases inaccuracy .
6- The stirring wasn’t continuous after adding Copper(II)Sulphate to zinc .

b-Random errors:

1- Contamination maybe found in the tools ,also some tools weren’t fully dry before
starting the process.
2- The uncertainty and limitations of the digital balance and graduated cylinder .
3- Parallax error in taking the reading of temperature from the thermometer.
4- a heat transfer existed between the digital balance and the cup since the second was
not cooled enough. This creates a current in cup, resulting an increase in mass of
Zinc .
 5- Zinc wasn’t pure , some impurities existed in it as white pieces , which increases the
uncertainty in it .
6- Parallax error in reading the temperature from thermometer .
7- The reading of Copper(II)Sulphate volume wasn’t taken from the meniscus point
of the graduated cylinder .

Assumptions done in calculations :

1) It was assumed that Copper(II)Sulphate had the same density as water , which is
1gcm-3.
2) It was assumed that Specific heat capacity (c) of Copper(II)Sulphate is equal to
water’s specific heat capacity which is 4.18Jg-1K-1 .

Some realistic Improvements could be added on the experiment :

1- Use a calorimeter in order to decrease heat loss to surroundings .

2- Assure that the plastic cup is well cooled to prevent convection between both cup
and digital balance .
3- Use of a bigger amount of Zinc or the use of a more precise balance.
4- Assure that tools are cleaned before using.
5- Using an electric stirrer or vibrator instead of manual stirring .
6- Repeat the process more the once to avoid random errors .