AP Chemistry Lab 1 Separating a Mixture

Prelab:
1. Define mixture, element, compound, and solution.
2. List four different methods of separation and an example of its use.
3. What apparatus is most important in this experiment? Why?

Problem: I want to separate a mixture of sodium carbonate from sodium chloride. I do not want to
loose any sodium carbonate or sodium chloride. Write this in the 3rd person.

Background: Solubility is defined as the amount of solute that will dissolve in a given amount of solvent. The
extent to which a substance dissolves depends mainly upon the physical properties of the solvent and of the solute.
Sodium chloride is an ionic substance the dissolves readily in cold water. Sodium carbonate is an ionic compound that
does not dissolve readily in cold water. Mixtures are usually separated using one of four methods: filtration, distillation,
chromatography, and by physical separation involving sorting by hand. Filtration separates solids from liquids.
Chromatography separates gases or liquids. Physical separation is used for solids within solids and may involve the
use of magnets.

Hypothesis: This must include an overview of how you think separation may occur. It must
include all chemicals. It must have controlled variables. Write an hypothesis and identify the
variables in this lab.

Apparatus: List all equipment that you need.

Method: This must include all steps that are completed. It must advise on what and when to
record data. This should be written in third person. Nothing should appear later in this experiment
that was not mentioned in the method. Rewrite the following in the 3rd person. Improve the
method, where necessary. Use the words: Soluble, Insoluble, Filtrate, Residue, and Solution.
1. I collected my equipment.
2. I recorded the mass of the mixture.
3. Then I dissolved the mixture in 30 ml of water.
4. I couldn’t see the salt anymore, so I filtered the sodium
5. The sodium carbonate was on my filter paper, so I left it to dry.
6. My water didn’t disappear overnight, so I heated the water to speed evaporation.
7. This took a long time. My sodium was dry so I massed it.
8. When the water was gone, I massed the salt inside the beaker.
9. I washed the salt away, then remassed my beaker to obtain the correct mass of salt.
10. I cleaned up.

Data Collection and Data Processing

Raw Data: This is best presented in a data table. Make sure to include all labels/units.
Raw Data in this experiment should include mass of beaker, dishes used, mass of filter paper,
mass of sodium chloride before and after, mass of Sodium carbonate before and after, and mass of
mixture. Data is never entered onto pieces of scratch paper. When erroneous data is recorded a
diagonal line is drawn neatly through the error, followed by a brief explanation as to why the data
was voided.Process the Data and present it in a neat and tidy manner. This may be
included in the data table above.

Conclusion and Evaluation: Answer the following questions in a well constructed

paragraph. Be sure to write in the third person.
1. Did the experiment work?
2. Was your hypothesis correct? Restate your hypothesis and explain.
3. Identify any problems and suggest ways to improve them.
 4. Analyzing errors and suggests why they may have occurred.
THIS MUST BE PRESENT IN CLASS DURING THE LAB.

LAB 1 Student Record

NAME: _____________
Pre-lab answers:

Hypothesis (including variables):

Apparatus:

Method:
____________________ABOVE MUST BE COMPLETE BEFORE THE LAB_________________

Data Collection: Observations and Data Table-

Conclusion and Evaluation: