AP Lab #4: How Can We Identify an Unknown Gas?

The ideal gas equation was conceived based on the work of Boyle, Charles, and
Avogadro. An ideal gas is a hypothetical gas whose pressure, volume, and temperature behavior
is completely described by the following equation:

PV =nRT

where P = the pressure of an ideal gas (in atm)

V = the volume of an ideal gas (in liters)
n = the number of moles of an ideal gas
T = the temperature of an ideal gas (in kelvin)
. .
and R = the constant 0.0821 L atm/mol K

The ideal gas equation assumes that there is no attractive forces between molecule of a a
gas, and that the gas molecules have an insignificant volume. Though no gas is truly ideal, most
gases are close to being ideal; thus the ideal gas equation works well for calculations.

The ideal gas equation can be rewritten to solve for molar mass of a gas using this
equation:
MM= dRT
P

where d = the density of an ideal gas (in grams/liter)

MM = the molar mass of an ideal gas (in grams/mole)

In this experiment, you will be given an unknown liquid to vaporize. From

measurements of mass and volume, you will calculate the density of the gas produced. From
measurements of temperature and pressure, you will then calculate the molar mass of the gas and
try to determine the identity of the unknown gas.

Science Practices: [2.A, 4.A, 5.B,5.C, 6.E, 6.G]

Objective
How can we determine the molar mass of a substance from measurements of the density
of its vapor?

Safety
Tie back long hair and secure loose clothing when working with an open flame.
Always wear safety goggles and a lab apron or coat when working in the lab.

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Materials
unknown liquid safety glasses Parafilm balance
aluminum foil (5-cm square) 600-mL beaker utility clamp pin
100-mL graduated cylinder paper towels lab apron or coat hot plate

125-mL Erlenmeyer flask ring stand crucible tongs

10-mL graduated cylinder boiling chips

Procedure

1. Set up a ring stand and hot plate for the purpose of heating (as demonstrated by your
teacher). Place a 600-mL beaker about ½ filled with water and boiling chips on the hot
plate. Heat the water to boiling. While the water is heating, complete steps 2, 3, and 4.
2. Find the mass of an empty 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask. Record this mass as (a) in your
data table.
3. Using a 10-mL graduated cylinder, add 3 mL of the unknown liquid to the flask.
4. Using a 5-cm square piece of aluminum foil, make an air-tight cap over the mouth of the
flask. Cover the foil with some Parafilm. With a pin, make a “very tiny” hole (as small
as possible) in the center of the cap.
5. Once the water is vigorously boiling, carefully lower the flask into boiling water, and
clamp the flask securely to the ring stand. Make sure that at least ½ of the flask is
submerged in the water, but that the cap is not. Make sure the water continuously boils
but does not overflow.
6. Record the barometric pressure as (e) in your data table. (Your teacher will provide this
information).
7. Continue heating until all of the liquid in the flask has vaporized. This may be hard to
determine so after 10 minutes you may lift up the flask from the boiling water to check.
If the liquid has not vaporized, reinsert into the water and keep boiling for another few
minutes. Once all of the liquid is vaporized, remove the flask from the beaker. Note
that the clamp will be hot. Use paper towels to loosen the clamp.
8. Loosen the clamp from the flask using paper towels, and let the flask sit on the lab bench
or insert into another beaker of cold water to cool. During cooling observe what
happens to the vapor in the flask.
9. After about 2 minutes (once all the vapor has condensed), wipe the outside of the flask
dry with some paper towel. Remove the cap. Find the mass of the flask and condensate.
Record as (b) in your data table. You may now dispose of the liquid.
10. Fill your flask to the top with tap water. Using a 100-mL graduated cylinder, measure
the exact volume of the water in the flask. (Note, this will require using the cylinder
twice because the flask has a volume greater than 100 mL). This volume represents the
volume of the vapor (V1) before it condensed. Record this volume as (c) in your data
table.

Observations
Write down all observations related to this lab.

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Data - Molar Mass Data
a. mass of flask _________grams

b. mass of flask and condensate _____ _grams

c. volume of flask _________mL

d. temperature of water (T1) ____100__oC = __373___K

e. barometric pressure __________ mm Hg

Calculations
 Calculate the density of the gas using your mass and volume measurements.

 Calculate the molar mass of the gas sample using the ideal gas law equation.

 Assume that the unknown liquid was one of the following substances:
Ammonia (NH3)
Ethanol (C2H5OH)
Cyclohexane (C6H12)
Acetone (C3H6O)

 Based on your calculated molar mass, which of the above is your unknown?

 Compare your molar mass to the actual molar mass of the unknown liquid
and calculate your % error.

Discussion
 Answer the objective and mention what the unknown was and how you
determined it.
 What was the molar mass of your unknown?
 Discuss any sources of error and explain WHY you believe this would cause you
to either get a larger or smaller molar mass compared to the actual molar mass.
(Note your explanation must be in line with your result).

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Additional Discussion Questions
NOTE: when handing in the formal lab, you must write down the questions as well as the
answers. They must ALWAYS be in complete sentences.

1. What are some possible sources of error for this lab?

2. A gas has a density of 1.25 g/L at STP. What is its molar mass? What could
be the identity of this gas?

3. AT STP, 10 liters of a gas has a mass of 9.01 grams. What is the molar mass
of this gas? What could be the identity of this gas?

4. What is the Van der Waals equation that accounts for the inaccuracies of the
ideal gas equation? What do ALL of the symbols stand for?

5. What is the density of CO2 gas at 750 torr and 20oC?

6. How many molecules of CO2 gas would be produced from the complete
combustion of 200 mL of propane gas at 725 torr and 35oC? (Note you must
write out the balanced reaction to determine this answer).

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