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Comparing the Concentrations of Saturated Solutions Experiment

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In this lab, lab 4.3 Comparing the Concentrations of Saturated Solutions, we set out to find and compare the solubilities of two solids in water. In addition, we tested if solubility is a characteristic property of a solid in a given liquid. This lab allowed us to test and use a reliable way to measure the solubility of a solid. This lab can be replicated for any solid with the same procedure, thus it gives us a method to calculate solubility. The two solids we tested in this experiment were NaCl (Sodium Chloride) and NaNO3 (Sodium Nitrate). To begin the experiment, we measured 5cc of water and 5g of NaCl and added them to a test tube. Next, we stoppered the test tube and shook vigorously for two or three minutes. After we observed that …show more content…

Six of the ten sodium chloride groups found the solubility of sodium chloride to be statistically 36g/100cc of water, with a +3g/100cc margin of error. Three of the four groups outside this margin of error had solubilities in the forties, 42, 48, 49g/100cc. These three groups made an experimental error that altered their results and can be excluded from our analysis of data. Another group was in the low thirties with 30g/100cc. Yet the beginning masses that compose the solubility equations do differ. For example, one group found that the mass of their solution was 4.21 grams, but another recorded a mass of 5.47 grams. When it comes to the mass of the solid (solute) the former recorded a mass of 1.11 grams, the latter reported a mass of 1.38 grams. Nonetheless, they came out with the same solubility of 34 grams per 100 cc of water. Thus we can prove that that solubility is a characteristic property. This is because every group started with a different mass of solution and solid, but they concluded with the same solubility (given the +3 gram margin of error and excluding outliers) or were close. Therefore, solubility is a characteristic property. Of the eight sodium nitrate groups three of them found statistically, with a +3g margin of error, 86g/100cc as the solubility of sodium nitrate in water. Another group calculated the solubility to be 82, which is just below the margin of error. Two of the eight groups

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