Phosphorous And Fluorine Lab Report

Introduction

Research in chemistry incorporates both microscopic and macroscopic properties. Essential to the properties compounds have both molecularly and environmentally is the ions and metals that make up many compounds. The properties of these chemicals depend heavily on the atoms that make up each particular chemical. Whether the compound is monoatomic, polyatomic, or even a polymer, being able to identify a compound is an essential tool in being able to make predictions and assumptions about the properties a specific chemical may have. Take for example the research being done on phosphorous and fluorine during World War II in Germany and during the Cold War which were able to be used as weapons, or during the early 1930’s when Germany

After conducting the solubility test the unknown compound was identified as soluble. This process eliminated calcium carbonate as an option as a chemical. Since the calcium and carbonate ions do not dissociate in water, the solid compounds remains visible; this is not in agreement with the qualitative analysis of dissolved compound. The pH test revealed that the compound was neutral. This eliminated all basic and acidic compounds. Compound not derived from a strong acid and strong base pair, such as sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate and potassium carbonate, were eliminated as options of the compound. A limitation of this experiment is that if an acid and base were both contaminating the solution a neutral reading may also appear. By using Logger Pro and a pH probe more accurate results for the pH could be taken. The halide, acetate or sulfate test indicated that a halide acetate or sulfate was in the unknown compound. This test is facilitated by the fact that all halide, a few acetate and a few sulfate containing compounds react with silver to form a silver halide, silver acetate or a silver sulfate compound. All compounds not containing a halide, acetate or sulfate (calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate) were eliminated. The sulfate ion test revealed that the compound did not contain a sulfate due to a lack of precipitate formation. This test utilizes the fact that sulfate ions react with barium

The rate of reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid at room temperature was significantly slow. This process consumed a critical amount of time in lab. In order to synthesize magnesium chloride a sample of 0.254 ±0.001g of magnesium ribbon that was cut into smaller pieces was placed in a solution of hydrochloric acid that was labeled as being 6M. Unfortunately the HCl depleted and excess magnesium remained in solution after a pH test confirmed that all the HCl had been consumed in the reaction. Particles of magnesium were removed from the solution and placed into a 250mL beaker of known mass. The beaker was then weighed and the difference in weight was calculated. This value of magnesium remained was subtracted from the original amount of magnesium to calculate how much magnesium remained in solution. The solution of aqueous magnesium chloride was then heated to evaporate the remaining water and then weighed on a scale. Ultimately the percent error of 41.6% indicates that many sources of error through this process. One major source of error is that magnesium chloride is a hexahydrate, and water moisture from the air may have evaporated into the compound before weighing. Another source of error is that water droplets condensing on the side of the beaker added mass that was assumed to be only the synthesized compound. The two purity tests that were conducted, pH and flame tests, indicated that no basic or acidic compounds were