Basic
laboratory operations
Objectives
At the end of this session the students will be able:
• To light and adjust properly the flame of a Bunsen burner.
• To develop the skill for properly operating balance.
• To develop the technique of using a cylinder and a pipette.
• To determine the density of a glass solid and unknown liquid.
Instruments and tools
• Named for Robert Bunsen, the German chemist who introduced it.
• A device for combining a flammable gas e.g (CH4 ,C2H6) with
controlled amounts of air (O2).
• The mixture of air and gas is forced by gas pressure to the top of the
tube, where it is ignited with a match; so the reaction between gas and
oxygen will start.
• Two types of combustion (reaction) can be achieved depending on
amount of air entered (O2).
Complete combustion
CH4(g) +2 O2 (g) → CO2 (g) +2 H2O(g) + high energy
If sufficient amount of air (O2 ) entered, then complete reaction is achieved, the gas mixture will
burn completely.
Producing (non luminous flame) with blue color .
Non luminous flame consists of three parts (zones):
Zone A
The top of the flame or (outer cone) has (a violet blue color).
Zone B
Top of inner cone, (dark blue) (The hottest part of the flame).
Zone C
Small inner cone, (light blue).
Incomplete combustion
CH4(g) + ( n<2 ) O2 (g) → CO2 (g) + H2O(g) + low energy + C ( s) and CO (g)
If amount of air entered (O2 ) is not sufficient,
then reaction is incomplete.
The gas mixture will not burn completely
forming carbon particles (C )and CO (g).
Producing luminous flame with yellow color .
Luminous flame consists of one part (zone).
Types of Flame
Part B: Laboratory Balances
Used to take the mass (weight) for glassware or chemical substances.
Types of balances:
• Triple beam balance
• Top loading (electronic) balance:
High sensitivity (measures to 0.01 or 0.001 g)
Measuring mass can be:
1- direct (not for liquids or chemicals in general).
2- indirect which can be made by difference or tare (rezero).
Part C: Density
Density is a physical property of a matter.
It is defined as the mass per unit volume of a substance.
The units of density are commonly expressed as:
g/cm3 for solids, g/mL for liquids, and g/L for gases.
It is an intensive property; it does not depend on the amount of the
substance.
It can be used to identify the substance because it is constant for a
given substance but it depends on temperature; e.g: density of water
is 1.0 g/mL at 4⁰C.
Measuring volume
Volume of a liquid can be determine by graduated cylinders, beakers
Buretts and Pipettes.
But pipettes and burettes are the most accurate glassware to
measure volume.
Mass and volume are extensive properties; they depend on the
amount of the substance.
Experimental procedure
1- Lighting the burner:
Properly light a burner by the following steps:
a. Fully open the gas valve at the outlet.
b. Slightly open the gas control valve.
c. Bring a lighted match or striker up the outside of the burner barrel
until the escaping gas at the top ignites.
d. After the gas ignites, adjust the air-control valve until the flame is
pale blue and has two or more distinct cones.
2. Observing flame temperatures using a wire gauze:
a. Using crucible tongs, hold a wire gauze parallel to the burner barrel just
above the burner, observe the relative heat zones of the flame.
b. Sketch a diagram of your observations on the Report Sheet.
c. Close (or nearly close) the air-control valve and repeat the observation with a luminous flame.
d. Close the gas control valve, and finally close the gas valve at the outlet.
Part 1
Density of a piece of glass:
Obtain the mass of a piece of glass using the electronic balance.
.
Pour 5-6 mL of water into your 10 mL graduated cylinder use
dropper to adjust the level of the water).
Precisely measure this volume.
Carefully add the piece of glass to the water,
making sure not to lose any water by splashing.
Measure the new volume of the water plus the piece of glass.
Density of a piece of glass continued
Calculate the volume of the piece of glass.
Volume water displaced = Final volume – Initial volume
Volume water displaced = Volume of solid
Note that 1 mL = 1 cm3.
Use your measured mass and volume to obtain density of
the piece of glass.
Density = mass/ volume
unit = g/cm3
Part 2: Density of liquid
(unknown liquid NaCl solution)
Using the electronic balance, obtain the mass of your 100-mL beaker.
Make sure it is dry before you weigh it.
Add 7 to 10 mL of NaCl solution by the graduated pipette
(Use pipette filler).
Measure the combined mass using the electronic balance.
Calculate the mass of solution by difference.
(the combined mass - the mass of beaker )
Use your measured mass and volume to obtain density of solution.
(unit = g/mL)