Refractometry Aim

The aim of this experiment is to determine the ethanol/water compositions of 3 unknown samples which are A, B and C provided.

Introduction
In this experiment I am going use a process called refractometr to determine the 3 unknown samples compositions ! using known sample such as "#$ ethanol / %#$ water &w/'(, 3#$ ethanol / )#$ water &w/'( , *#$ ethanol / *#$ water &w/'( , )#$ ethanol / 3#$ water &w/'( , %#$ ethanol / "#$ water &w/'( and water, these are m known composition solutions. The experiment involves a refractometer and water !ath in which !oth will !e switched on from the start of the experiment. The instrument will !e cali!rated to +*oC using ,-.C/ grade water in other words pure water. This cali!ration will onl !e re0uired once, unless the machine is switched off. The known samples which I have mentioned a!ove will all !e inserted into the instrument. The instrument will then scan the li0uid and give me a refractive index figure measured in degrees centigrade. I will do each experiment three times and then work out an average1 this will increase the relia!ilit of m results. I will repeat this procedure for the unknown samples as well. I will then plot a graph on the / axis refractive index units in degrees centigrade against on the x axis concentration of ethanol and water and then draw a !est line fit and determine the concentration composition of the unknown samples using the graph.

Hypothesis to be tested
The h pothesis of this experiment is to determine the ethanol/water composition of 3 unknown samples &A, B and C( provided using an instrument called a refractometer. B plotting a graph refractive index vs. ethanol/ water this will let me determine the compositions of the 3 unknown samples.

Experimental Plan
The o!2ectives of the h pothesis will !e achieved ! carr ing out the refractometer experiment as accuratel as possi!le. I will tr adding the sample to the prism as accuratel as possi!le and adding the same amount of drops for each sample I used and ! cleaning the prism after I have used it. I will use a different pipette for each sample of the concentration of ethanol and water to avoid contamination and to minimise the error. The graph will !e done to maximum precision ena!ling me to achieve the accurate results that I want at the end of the experiment. I will repeat the sample testing 3 times so that I can use the average figure when I plot m graph. 'hen the instrument is scanning I will wait for the value of the

refractive index to sta constant and not write down the values while the figures are still !een calculated.

Apparatus
'ater !ath. 3efractometer instrument. ,-.C/grade water. Test tu!e filled with known water sample. Test tu!e filled with "#$ ethanol / %#$ water &w/'( Test tu!e filled with 3#$ ethanol / )#$ water &w/'( Test tu!e filled with *#$ ethanol / *#$ water &w/'( Test tu!e filled with )#$ ethanol / 3#$ water &w/'( Test tu!e filled with %#$ ethanol / "#$ water &w/'(

3 unknown samples A, B and C. -ipettes

-aper towel

Labelled diagram for refractometry

$e#ra tometr% !nstr&ment

HPLC-grade water

Paper towel Water bath P!pettes

Unknown samples A, B and C Known 5 samples onta!n!ng ethanol"water at d!##erent on entrat!on

Pr!sm

Method
". Cali!rate the prism on the automatic refractometer ! using ,.-C water. +. 4sing a pipette add five drops of ,.-C water to the prism. 5hut the prism lid gentl and let the instrument scan the water so it is cali!rated. 3. Clean the prism glass ! using the paper towel provided.
6. 7ow using the samples provided such as the first one which is "#$ ethanol / %#$ water

&w/'(, add * drops of this sample using the pipette to the prism ! lifting the prism lid and placing the drops of sample onto the prism surface. A refractive index value will appear on the instrument read out screen. Alwa s use a fresh, clean pipette for each sample to prevent an errors caused ! contamination. *. 8entl lower the prism lid. 9. Allow the refractive index value to sta!ili:e for at least +#/3# seconds !efore taking the reading. ). ;nce the reading is taken the sample can !e removed from the prism ! lifting the prism lid. 'ipe !oth the prism and the prism lid with a paper towel provided. The instrument is now read for the next sample. 3epeat this techni0ue for each sample 3 times and use fresh samples to increase relia!ilit , and use the average at the end of the experiment to plot the graph and find the unknown compositions. <. At the end of the experiment ensure that the used pipettes are cleaned and washed.

Hazards
=thanol if drunken in large amounts can cause drowsiness, headaches, nausea etc. =thanol is an irritant of respirator tracts which !rings a!out the same effects as a!ove. >ou can !e expose to ethanol if inhaled it is an irritant to the skin ! repeated contact with the chemical. If ethanol comes into contact with our e es, flush our e es immediatel with water for "* minutes, and seek medical attention if irritation occurs. If ethanol is accidentl inhaled or ingested, go to a place with fresh air, and seek medical attention if an thing unusual appears
'

or if an s mptoms start to appear. Also if ethanol comes into contact with our skin, wash the place of contact. =thanol is also highl flamma!le, so if there is a small fire or one that is increasing leave the scene and call the person in charge to handle the situation.

Precaution and how to minimize the risk

Alwa s wear a la!, coat and safet glasses. ,ave a pair of heav gloves availa!le. Before starting the experiment alwa s make sure that the apparatus is clean and properl set up. All accidents such as chemical spillage or !reakages should !e reported immediatel to the supervisor ?o not leave !ags and coats near the gangwa s or the !enches =ating and drinking is prohi!ited 5moking is not allowed @now where our escapes are.

In an Emergency for all apparatus

" + A In the event of a solvent fire !riefl attempt to extinguish the fire with an extinguisher. If the situation worsens immediatel evacuate the la!, close the door, and seek immediate assistance. A In the event of solvent spillage open the windows to aid evaporation. If a spillage is serious, immediatel evacuate the la!, and seek assistance from the la! technician, or our supervisor.

Results and data

5tarting temperature sta ed constant at +* oC
(ol&t!ons $e#ra t!)e !nde* +oC, 1st sample 10''/10'5210'5/3 10'322 10'32' $e#ra t!)e !nde* +oC, 1st sample 10''/2 10'522 10'5/4 10'322 10'322 $e#ra t!)e !nde* +oC, 1st sample 10''/1 10'521 10'5/4 10'322 10'312 1 A)erag e 2dp +oC, 10'1 10'5 10'3 10'3 10'3

1-. ethanol " /-. water+w"W, '-. ethanol " 2-. water+w"W, 5-. ethanol " 5-. water+w"W, 2-. ethanol " '-. water+w"W, /-. ethanol " 1-.

water+w"W, Water Unknown sol&t!on A Unknown sol&t!on B Unknown sol&t!on C

10''21 10'153 10'53' 10'312

10''25 10'131 10'532 10'312

10''23 10'132 10'535 10'315

10'' 10'1 10'5 10'3

A graph showing the refractive index &oC( vs. ethanol &$( concentration is drawn, please check last page.

Calculations To find out the refractive index for the ethanol/water concentration I had to work out the average of each sample. For example for the 30%ethanol/70%water the value calculated was .3!. This was calculated "# adding up all the three values in the test and dividing it "# three to work out an average. $g % .3!&0 ' .3!&& ' .3!&()/3* .3!

Discussions and interpretation

A refractometer measures the light which is !ent when it is travelling from air into a sample and this is how the refractive index is measured. .ooking at m results it shows that "#$ ethanol had a refractive index of ".36, the results increase ! #.#" for the 3#$, and *#$ ethanol compositions, whereas after this the graph !ecomes stationar for *#$, )#$ and %#$ compositions. As a result when I cali!rated m results for the unknown concentration of ethanol m solution A was exactl "#$water/%#$ethanol, solution B was 3#$ethanol/)#$water and finall solution C was *#$ethanol/*#$water, e.g ".36, ".3* and ".39, m results also produced no anomalies so I have no reason not to !elieve that the unknown solution were exactl the same as m first three known concentrations, since the fitted perfectl on m line of !est fit. There is also an increase in #."after each sample which matches m theor I also !elieve m results are relia!le since I done the experiment three times for each composition. In m opinion I do not think I could have improved m results an more, since the were ver good, although I do !elieve that there could have !een different since when I read the reading of the refractometer we had to round up the last digit, so there is a possi!ilit that rounding errors could have occurred, even though m results are good.

Conclusion and recommendations

5

To conclude I !elieve that this experiment went ver well, since I met m aim, which was to find the concentration of ethanol in three different compositions, even though m experiment went well I would recommend other people to increase the num!er of decimal places for their refractive index figures, this is so the have a wider range of data, and hopefull produce close to perfect results.

Ackno led!ements
5!sher ( !ent!#! UK Ltd0+2-1-, 67ater!al 8ata (a#et% (heet09:onl!ne;0 A)a!lable #rom https<""e*tranet0#!sher0 o0&k"As1--msds"msds=prod& tCode>?"-3--"-4 :A essed -/ 7ar h 2-1-; @reenergy 5&els L!m!ted0+2-1-, 67ater!al 8ata (a#et% (heet09:onl!ne;0 A)a!lable #rom http<""www0greenerg%0 om"prod& ts"7(8("?thanol0pd#:A essed -/ 7ar h 2-1-; Hanson A0+2--', 6$e#ra tometr%09:onl!ne;0 A)a!lable #rom http<""www20&ps0ed&"#a &lt%"hanson"labte hn!B&es"re#ra tometr%"!ntro0htm :A essed 11 7ar h 2-1-;