Empirical Formula Of An Oxide

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The Empirical Formula of an Oxide, Purpose: The purpose of this lab was to determine the empirical formula of magnesium oxide. To do this, we measured the weight of the magnesium before the reaction with oxygen, and then measure it after it had bonded with the oxygen. After the mass of the items were collected, the data was calculated in empirical formula. Background: The empirical formula of a compound is the whole number ratio of the elements in a compound. For example, the empirical formula of water is H2O meaning for every 1 O atom there are 2 H atoms. The molecular formula tells us the amount of atoms present in a compound. For example the molecular formula of hydrogen peroxide is H2O2. This tells us there are 2 H atoms and 2 O atoms needed for the formula of hydrogen peroxide. The empirical formula would HO, because the ratio is 1:1. To determine the empirical formula of a compound, the mass of each element must be found. The mass is then converted to the amount of moles of the element. Once the mass of each element is converted to mole, the smallest mole is divided by each of the other moles to determine the ratio of each element. This will give the whole number ratio of each element. For example: Mass of Amole of Amole of A/mole of A= 1 given that mole of A is smallest Mass of Bmole of Bmole of B/mole of A= whole number > 1 Procedure: An iron ring was placed on a support stand and allowed enough room for a Bunsen burner to set below the ring. A clay triangle was placed on the ring with a clean dry crucible set on top the triangle at a slight angle, using crucible tongs to place both items. Using crucible tongs, a cover was placed atop the crucible at a slight angle to allow an opening. The gas to the Bunsen burner was turned on and ignited with a nonluminous flame. The crucible was heated for 5 minutes, while slowly moving the burner back and forth

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