Dan Tran

4/9/18
Period 2

Molecular Mass Determination Using Boiling Point and Freezing

Point
Purpose:
The purpose of this lab is to find the molar mass of two unknown solutes. The molar
mass of one of solutes will be found through boiling. The solute would be dissolved in water
and the boiling point will be measured. The information found from doing this will be plugged
∆TBP
into the equation m = K to find the molality of the solute. The same will be done for the
BP
other solute but the molar mass of the it would be found through freezing. The solute would be
∆T
dissolved in water and lowered to is freezing point and plugged into the equation m = K FP .
FP
To find the molar mass of both solutes, the molality of both solvents will be plugged into the
equation Molar Mass = grams of solute/molality x kg solvent. My hypothesis to this lab is that
the molar mass of the first solvent would be very close to the actual molar mass because it is
easy to tell when the solution is boiling and measure the temperature easily. For the second
solute, I think that it may be hard to find the molar mass of the solute accurately because even
though the temperature levels off, it may not be frozen, and it will be hard to tell when it is
frozen because will be slushy and not one hard piece.

Procedures:
Boiling
1. Mass out 50 grams if the 1st unknown solute in a pan and pour it in an Erlenmeyer flask
2. In 25 mL of distilled water, dissolve the solute completely. Stir and heat to completely
dissolve the solution
3. When temperature is around 40 0C, start recording the temperature every 15 seconds
4. Continue heating and look for leveling off of the temperature at the boiling point. There
should be 4 readings of the same temperature in a row.

Freezing
1. Mass out 1.5 grams if the 2nd unknown solute in a test tube and dissolve it in 10 mL of
distilled water
2. Add a layer of ice, then a layer of salt until the beaker is half full, and then 50 mL of water
to the beaker
3. Place the test tube in the solution in the beaker. Stir the solution and rotate the test tube.
4. Look for leveling off and when the solution freezes, record this temperature as the freezing
temperature.

Materials:
 Goggles and Apron
 Balance
 100 mL graduated cylinder
 10 mL graduated cylinder
  Erlenmeyer flask
 Burner with ring stand, iron ring, and wire gauze
 Thermometer
 Thermometer clamp
 Beaker (600 mL)
 Beaker (250 mL)
 Test tube
 Glass stirring rod
 2 unknown solutes
 Rock salt

Data Table:
Boiling:
Mass of Solute A: 50.03 grams

Mass of Water: 25 grams

Boiling Temperature of Pure Water: 100 0C

Time Temperature of
(Seconds Solution A (0C)
0 40
15 43.5
30 47
45 50.5
60 52
75 55
90 59
105 61
120 63
135 66
150 70
165 72.5
180 75
195 78
210 80.5
225 83.5
240 85.5
255 87.5
270 90
285 92
300 94.5
315 95
330 98
345 99
 360 100
375 100.5
390 101
405 102.5
420 102.5
435 102.5

Freezing:
Mass of Solute B: 1.49 grams

Mass of Water: 10 grams

Freezing Temperature of Water: 00 C

Freezing Temperature of Solution: -60 C

Calculations:
Boiling:
1.
Time vs. Temperature
110
100
90
80
Temperature (0C)

70
60
50 Water Solution
40 Pure Water
30
20
10
0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 390 420 450
Time (seconds)

2. From the data, the boiling temperature of the solution is 102.50 C. This is the
boiling temperature because there is a leveling off of the solution. At this
temperature the solution cannot get any hotter without the becoming a gas.

3. The boiling point elevation is 2.50 C.

102.5 – 100 = 2.5

4. The molal concentration of the solution is 4.90 m.
2.50 C/(0.510 C/m) = 4.90m

5. The molar mass of the solute is 408.41 g/mol.

50.03 grams of solute
(4.90 m)(0.025 kg of solvent)
= 408.41 g/mol

Freezing:
1. The freezing temperature of the solution is -60 C.

2. The freezing point depression is 60 C.

6–0=6

3. The molal concentration of the solution is 3.23 m.

60 C/(1.860 C/m) = 3.23 m

4. The molar mass of the solute is 138.57 g/mol.

1.49 grams of solute
(3.23 m)(0.01 kg of solvent)
= 138.57 g/mol

Conclusion:

For the process of boiling, I got the molar mass of the solute to be 408.41 g/mol. This
should not be possible unless the solute has an i factor because there is no element that has a
molar mass of 408.41 g/mol. For the process of freezing, I got the molar mass of the solute to be
138.57 g/mol. This could be the molar mass because there are elements that have molar masses
close to this number. I do not think that this molar mass may be very accurate because an error in
half a degree would result in a very big change in the molar mass when it is calculated. I think
that this molar mass is not correct because when the temperature was recorded, supercooling was
not considered, and the temperature went below the freezing point, so the wrong freezing point
was probably recorded. My hypothesis was not completely correct because I said it would be
hard to calculate the molar mass of the solute only for the process of freezing but it may also be
tough to find the molar mass of the solute through the process of boiling because if the
temperature that is recorded is off even by half a degree, it will change the molar mass by a lot.