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Unknown Lab Report

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The objective of this experiment was to determine the identity of three unknowns existing in a 1:1:1 mixture. An extraction technique was therefore used to identify the unknown acid, base, and neutral as the compounds must first be separated. Extraction is a method of separation that is based on the difference in solubility of each compound in a mixture. There are a couple of necessary requirements for an extraction to be completed with experimental success. In this extraction there were two liquid solvents used, an original solvent (So), and an extraction solvent (Sx). The original solvent and the extraction solvent must be immiscible, such that when the extraction is over the two solvents would be separated from each other. The extraction solvent also cannot irreversibly react with the compound that is being extracted. However, the extraction solvent must be as specific to the desired extraction compound as possible. It is not realistic to get 100% of the extraction compound back either.The last requirement is that the extraction solvent should be easily removed when the process is complete. These requirements were fulfilled by manipulating the original solvent’s pH to thus change the solubility characteristics of the unknown compounds. By changing the pH of the solution, the compounds in the mixture can become charged ions …show more content…

The melting points of the purified acid, base, and neutral precipitates were taken to compare the melting points found in the experiment to the standard melting points of the potential acid, base, and neutral compounds that could have been used. Based on this melting point comparison, it was concluded that the unknown acid was benzoic acid, the unknown base was 3-nitroaniline, and the unknown neutral compound was most likely

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