Stoichiometry Experiment- Iron and Copper (II) sulfate

Purpose: In this experiment, you will observe a single replacement reaction. You will also use Stoichiometry to predict what the theoretical yield of product is and calculate a percent yield.

Reaction: Iron + Copper (II) sulfate  Copper + Iron (II) sulfate

Pre-lab questions:

1.)Write the Balanced Equation.

2.)Define the following terms: theoretical yield, actual yield, percent yield.

3.)Since it is impossible to obtain a percent yield over 100%, give a reason why your data might appear to give you a yield over 100.

Procedure:

1.)Mass a dry, clean Erlenmeyer flask. (250 mL)

2.)Add 10 to 11 grams of copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate and record the mass.

3.)Add 200 mL of water to dissolve the hydrate. To accelerate the dissolving process, carefully place a magnetic stir bar in the flask. Place the flask on a magnetic stirrer and turn on. Allow the contents of the flask to mix until the solid has dissolved.

4.)Determine the mass of a tuft of steel wool (Iron). It should be close to 2 grams. Use a weighing boat to mass the steel wool.

5.)Add the steel wool to the flask.

6.)Swirl for 5 to 10 minutes or until all of the steel wool appears to have reacted.

7.)Label and mass a piece of filter paper.

8.)Carefully pour off –DECANT- the solution into a beaker. Remember to use a glass stirring rod for this.

9.)Add 50 mL water to the flask and swirl to wash the product. Decant again.

10.)Repeat step 9.

11.)Add 10 mL of water to the flask, swirl and pour into the filter paper lined funnel. Do not overfill.

12.)Carefully remove the filter paper and place it on a weighing boat to dry.

13.)Mass the filter paper and product the next class day.

14.)Clean up lab station.

Data Table:

Mass of flask
Mass of flask and copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate
Mass of copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate
Mass of steel wool (Iron)
Mass of filter paper
Mass of filter paper and product **
Mass of product **
Observations

Post-Lab questions:

1.)Calculate the theoretical yield of copper using the mass of iron from the lab.

2.)The quantity you just calculated is called the theoretical yield. This is the maximum number of grams that could be produced in the reaction. The mass of product that you have in the data table is called the actual yield (what you produced in lab). Calculate the % yield for this experiment.

% yield = actual yield X 100

theoretical yield

3.)If your % yield was not 100, give an explanation for reasons why.

Conclusion: