The Molecular Weight of a Gas

From the ideal gas law, PV=nRT, it is easy to show that the density of an ideal gas is: D PM W
g a s
= =

where Mw is the molecular weight of the gas. m V RT From this we get: MW

=

mRT PV

Thus, the molecular weight of a gas can be determined from direct measurements of the mass and volume of the gas at the laboratory temperature and pressure. To find the mass of the gas in a container we must weigh a container filled with gas and then subtract the mass of the empty container. n most e!periments the mass of the "empty# container is in actuality the mass of the container plus the air it holds. This is generally not a problem since the mass of the air is relatively small compared to the li$uid or solid samples that we are weighing. %owever when we need to weigh a gas, not accounting for the mass of the air in the flas& would be a serious systematic error. To determine the mass of the air in the flas& we will first obtain the weight of a flas& filled with "dry air# 'air from which all water vapor from the atmosphere has been removed(. The weight of air in the flas& will be calculated from the volume of the flas& and the &nown density of air. The weight of the "empty# flas& will then be determined by subtracting the calculated mass of the "dry air# from the measured mass of the flas& on the balance. )fter the container has been filled with the gas whose molecular weight is to be determined, it will be weighed, and the weight of the gas will be determined by difference. Various gases can be used in an e!periment of this type* we will use carbon dio!ide, +,-, generated from the addition of acid to calcium carbonate: +a+,. 's( / - %+l 'a$( +,- 'g( / +a+l- 'a$( / %-, 'l(
0

Procedure
1se crucible tongs to hold the nec& of the clean, 2dry2 -34 m5 6rlenmeyer flas& to be used for collecting the +,- 'flas& B in the diagram(. 7egin heating the bottom of the flas& in a 7unsen burner flame, whereupon you will see moisture beginning to condense on the upper surfaces of the flas&. 8radually move the flame up the sides of the flas& to 2follow2 the condensed moisture until all parts of the flas& have been heated and the moisture has been driven out of the flas&. mmediately set the hot flas& on a wire gau9e 'to avoid scorching the bench top( and insert a one:hole rubber stopper connected to a +a+l- drying tube. )llow the flas& to cool completely to room temperature, at least -4 minutes. Remove the stopper and cover the mouth of the flas& with the aluminum foil. ;ou can now weigh the 2flas&, foil, and dry air.2 )fter this weighing avoid all unnecessary handling of the flas& as your fingerprints do weigh

something* use a paper towel to handle the flas&. Placing the flas& on a piece of paper instead of directly on the lab bench will

also help. Record the temperature of the air inside the flas& by inserting a thermometer under the foil and into the flas&. <hile you are waiting for flas& B to cool, start to prepare the carbon dio!ide generating flas& ' A in the diagram(. Place about -3 grams of calcium carbonate in a -44:.44 m5 6rlenmeyer flas& 'flas& A(. )dd about =4 m5 of water, or enough to cover the chips completely. nsert the stopper with the thistle tube and the bent tube into flas& A, ma&ing sure that the thistle tube is ad>usted so that it is beneath the water but not crammed against the bottom of flas&. The stopper must fit tightly into the flas&. )lso obtain about -3 m5 of dilute hydrochloric acid, %+l, in a small, labeled bea&er. ,nce flas& B has cooled and has been weighed, you can finish assembling the apparatus shown in the diagram below. nsert the straight glass tube into flas& B by placing it between the foil and the flas& and pressing the foil against it to hold it in place.

<hen all is ready pour 3 : =4 m5 of the dilute hydrochloric acid into the top of the thistle tube and allow it to run through the tube and into flas& A. ;ou should note an immediate reaction as evidenced by gas evolution. )llow the reaction to continue for at least twenty minutes to displace all of the air in flas& B with carbon dio!ide gas. ?uring this time you should pay attention to what is happening in flas& A* if the gas evolution ceases, add additional %+l solution through the thistle tube. )fter the twenty minutes remove the tube from flas& B '&eep the foil in place( and immediately weigh the flas& containing carbon dio!ide. Reassemble the apparatus and allow gas evolution to continue and flow into flas& B for an additional fifteen minutes. )gain, weigh flas& B 'with the foil(. The two weights 'before and

after the fifteen minutes( should agree closely. Record the temperature of the carbon dio!ide in the flas&. 1se the barometer to read the atmospheric pressure 'your instructor will show you how to read the room@s barometer(. Aeasure the e!act volume of flas& B by filling it with distilled water to the brim, wiping any water from the outside of the flas& and weighing it to the nearest gram 'with the foil(. ;ou will have to use the less accurate triple0beam0balance for this weighing as the weight of the flas& with water e!ceeds the ma!imum weight allowed for the analytical balances* fortunately, great precision is not re$uired for this weight determination. Aeasure the temperature of the water in the flas& with your thermometer. Clean up. Beutrali9e the contents of flas& A by adding sodium bicarbonate until the solution no longer fi99es upon addition of the bicarbonate. ;ou may want to do this in the sin& as it tends to overflow. ?ecant off the li$uid, leaving any solid marble chips behind. Rinse the chips with water and decant off the water. Pour the chips into the labeled recovery bea&er. Density of Dry Air
Temperature, C 1 1 8 1 2 2 2 2 5 P = 750 torr. 1.201 1.197 1.193 1.189 1.181 1.177 1.173 1.169

Density, g/L P = 760 torr. 1.217 1.213 1.209 1.205 1.197 1.193 1.189 1.185

P = 770 torr. 1.233 1.229 1.225 1.221 1.212 1.208 1.204 1.200

Information from the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 64th ed., 1983-4

Density of Liquid Water

Temperature, C 15 16 19 20 23 24 30 Density, 0.9991g/mL 0.9989 0.9986 0.9984 0.9982 0.9978 0.9975 0.9973 0.9968 0.9957

Team Bame:CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Bames of Team Aembers:CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Molecular Weight of a Gas Report

Data: <eight of foil and flas& filled with dry airCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCg Temperature of dry air in flas&CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCD+ 7arometric pressureCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCtorr = CCCCCCCCCCCCCatm ?ensity of dry air at e!perimental temperature and pressureCCCCCCCCCC gE5 = CCCCCCCC gEm5 <eight of flas& filled with +,-, after first twenty minutes CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCg <eight of flas& filled with +,-, after second fifteen minutesCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCg Temperature of +,- in flas&CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCD+ =CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCF <eight of foil and flas& filled with waterCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCg Aass of water 'only( 'flas& / water / foil( : 'empty flas& / foil( Temperature of waterCCCCCCCCCCCCCCD+ ?ensity of water at above temperatureCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCgEm5 Calculations (show work and put a box around each answer) Volume of flas& g

<eight of dry air in flas&

<eight of empty flas&

Calculationscontinued

<eight of carbon dio!ide in flas&

6!perimental molecular mass

)ctual molecular mass 'from periodic table(

Percent error

Questions =. 7ecause the mass of the flas& with water e!ceeds the amount that can be weighed on our digital balances, we use the triple0beam0balance which only weighs to G4.4= g. <hy doesnHt using this balance affect the number of significant digits to which we can report the e!perimental molecular weight of carbon dio!ideI

-. <hy can we neglect the weight of the air in the flas& when obtaining the weight of the water in the flas& 'as we do when weighing most things( but not neglect the weight of the air when we calculate the weight of carbon dio!ide in the flas&I

.. 5ist three potential errors in this e!periment that may have affected your results. a.

b.

c.

J. %ow would each of these errors affect your e!perimental molecular mass of +, - you determined 'would your calculated molecular mass be higher or lower as a result(I Khow your supporting calculations in each case. a.

b.

c.

3. 6stimate the magnitude of each error below and compare it to the number of significant digits in your e!perimental results : based on this, which of these errors might have affected the numeric value of your e!perimentally determined molecular mass. Khow your supporting calculations. a.

b.

c.