8.

Determining the Ideal Gas Constant

What you will accomplish in this experiment
Youll experimentally determine the value of the Ideal Gas Constant by measuring the pressure, volume, and temperature of a known number of moles of gas. Youll substitute these measurements into the Ideal Gas Law to solve for R, the Ideal Gas Constant. Youll then compare your experimentally-determined gas constant to the accepted value for R (0.0821 liter atm/mole K) by calculating the Percent Error.

Concepts you need to know to be prepared

Whether a particular molecular substance is in the solid, liquid, or gaseous state at a given temperature will depend on the strength of the intermolecular attractive forces between the molecules the hydrogen bonds, dipoledipole interactions (dipolar forces), or instantaneous dipole-dipole interactions (IDDI, dispersion forces). You should carefully review the One Page Lesson on this topic. Imagine that the molecular substance in the Erlenmeyer flasks below is water, H2O. You know that water molecules adhere to one another by hydrogen bonding: the partial negative charge (-) of the highly electronegative oxygen atom in the water molecule is attracted to the partial positive charge +) of a hydrogen atom on a neighboring molecule. Because hydrogen bond is an especially strong dipole-dipole interaction (about 1/10th the strength of a covalent bond), it is always indicated by a dotted line (OH . . . O), as shown in the figures to the right. Flask A below is a depiction of water molecules at a temperature below the compounds freezing point (0 oC). The water molecules are closely-packed together in an orderly array, and the hydrogen bonding between them is maximized. This is water in its solid state (ice).

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If this flask is placed on a hot plate, heat energy is transferred to the water molecules, and their kinetic energy increases. Kinetic energy is the form of energy thats related to the motion of molecules. This motion disrupts the hydrogen bonding between the water molecules, so they can slip and slide freely past one another. Flask B depicts the water molecules in the liquid state, at a temperature that is above their melting point (0 oC), but below their boiling point (100 oC). If the flask is heated to 100 oC, the motion (kinetic energy) of the water molecules becomes such that the hydrogen bonding between the molecules is completely overcome. At that point, the water molecules are fully separated from one another and are flying about freely in the vapor phase. So in the gaseous state (steam), the water molecules are spread far apart and are moving very quickly in all directions; thus, they completely fill the container, as depicted in Flask C. What is remarkable about the gaseous state of matter is that ALL molecular elements or compounds behave SO similarly that scientists have been able to establish GAS LAWS that can be used to describe the physical properties of ANY gaseous substance. Specifically, these Gas Laws describe the relationships between the amount of a gas (in moles), its temperature and pressure, and the volume that it occupies.

Boyles Law
This law says that for a constant number of moles of gas at a constant temperature, the VOLUME of the gas is INVERSELY proportional to its pressure. This means that as the pressure on the gas is increased, the volume of the gas must decrease. Or as the pressure on the gas is released, the gas can expand (increase its volume).

Charles Law
This law says that for a constant number of moles of gas at a constant pressure, the VOLUME of the gas is DIRECTLY proportional to its TEMPERATURE. This means that as the gas is heated (its temperature is increased, the gas will expand (its volume increases). And as the gas is cooled (its temperature is decreased), the volume of the gas will decrease.

Avogadros Law
This law says that if two samples of gas have exactly the same volume, and exist at exactly the same temperature and pressure, they must contain the same number of moles of gas.

The Ideal Gas Law

When the Boyles, Charles, and Avogadros relationships are combined, the result is ONE gas law that expresses the overall relationship between pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles for ANY substance in its gaseous state. This law, called the Ideal Gas Law, is written as:

PV=nRT
where P = the pressure of the gas in atmospheres, atm V = the volume of the gas in liters, L n = the number of moles of the gas T = the temperature of the gas, expressed in Kelvin units (K = oC + 273) R = the ideal gas constant = 0.0821 L atm / mole K
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In this experiment, youll attempt to determine the value of the ideal gas constant by measuring the pressure (P), volume (V), and temperature (T) of a fixed number of moles of gas (n). Youll substitute these measurements into the ideal gas law to solve for R, the gas constant. Youll be measuring the properties of elemental hydrogen gas, which you can produce in a known quantity by reacting a measured amount of magnesium metal with hydrochloric acid. The following balanced chemical equation describes this reaction: Mg (s) + 2 HCl (aq) H2 (g) + MgCl2 (aq) The balanced chemical equation shows that one mole of hydrogen gas is produced for every one mole of magnesium metal that reacts. If the hydrochloric acid is in an excess amount, the number of MOLES of hydrogen gas produced can be predicted from the MASS of magnesium metal that reacts (a stoichiometry calculation, similar to last weeks experiment). The hydrogen gas can be collected in a graduated cylinder, so its volume can be measured. If the room temperature and pressure are known, then these four pieces of information (n, V, T, and P) can be substituted into the Ideal Gas Law (P V = n R T) to determine the value of the ideal gas constant, R.

Procedure that you will follow

Each pair of students should conduct three trials of the experiment, and then exchange data with another group so as to have a total of six trials worth of data. 1. 2. Fill a 400-mL beaker about three-quarters full with distilled water. Obtain a piece of magnesium ribbon between 1 1.2 cm in length. Carefully measure the length of the ribbon with your metric ruler and record it to the appropriate number of decimal places. Also record the mass in grams of a 1.00 meter length of magnesium ribbon (this measurement will be provided by your lab instructor). You will use this provided unit relationship as a conversion factor to convert the measured LENGTH of your magnesium ribbon into a MASS in grams. Your lab instructor will provide you with the tip of a Rubber stopper plastic transfer pipet that has with hole modified with a slit for holding the magnesium ribbon. Carefully insert the top of the pipet into the hole in your small rubber stopper. Then insert the magnesium ribbon into the slit in the pipet. Make sure the ribbon is securely in place.

3.

Mg Ribbon

4. 5.

Obtain approximately 3 mL of 2.0 M HCl (2.0 moles HCl/liter) in your 10-mL graduated cylinder. Using a pipet, very slowly and carefully fill the graduated cylinder with distilled water by letting the water run down the side of the graduated cylinder. You are trying to create a water layer on top of the acid layer. Fill the graduated cylinder all the way to the top so that there will be no air trapped in the cylinder when the rubber stopper is inserted. Carefully insert the rubber stopper-magnesium ribbon assembly into the graduated cylinder so that the magnesium is suspended in the water. The water will of course overflow when the stopper is inserted, and you should have no air at all in the graduated cylinder. Place your gloved finger over the hole in the top of the rubber stopper and turn the graduated cylinder upside down. Keeping your finger over the hole, lower the stoppered end of the graduated cylinder into the beaker of water and lean it at an angle against the side of the beaker. Then remove your finger from the hole.
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6.

7.

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8.

Record your observations of the chemical reaction that takes place in the graduated cylinder. You should see the acid layer diffuse down though the inverted tube. When the acid reaches the magnesium, bubbles should appear, and then rise and collect at the top of the tube. Allow the graduated cylinder to stand for several minutes after the reaction appears to be complete.

H2 generated

9.

10. Keeping the stoppered end of the graduated cylinder below the surface of the water, RAISE or LOWER the graduated cylinder until the water level inside the graduated cylinder MATCHES the water level inside the beaker. While holding the graduated cylinder at this level, carefully read and record the volume of gas in the graduated cylinder.

Water displaced

NOTE: This is done to equalize the pressure of the gas inside the graduated cylinder with the atmospheric pressure in the laboratory. 11. Conduct two more trials of the experiment, then exchange data with another group as instructed above, so youll have six trials worth of data. 12. Use your thermometer to record the temperature of the water in the beaker. Youll make the assumption that the temperature of the hydrogen gas is equal to the temperature of the water over which the gas was collected. Youll also assume that the temperature remains constant throughout all trials of the experiment. (Realize that your temperature measurement is Celsius degrees, so youll need to convert it to Kelvin.) 13. Your lab instructor will provide you with a barometric pressure measurement of the atmospheric pressure in the laboratory. You may assume that the pressure remains constant throughout all trials of the experiment. Because the hydrogen gas was collected over water, the total gas pressure in the graduated cylinder will include a contribution from the water vapor. To determine the pressure of just the hydrogen gas (PH2), the vapor pressure of water (PH2O) must be subtracted from the provided barometric pressure (Pbar):

PH 2 Pbar PH 2O
Since the pressure of water vapor depends on temperature, youll need to use the measured temperature and the table below to determine the appropriate water vapor pressure to subtract.

Water Vapor Pressure as a Function of Temperature

Temp. (oC) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Pressure (atm) 0.0169 0.0179 0.0190 0.0203 0.0217 0.0230 0.0245 0.0261 Temp. (oC) 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Pressure (atm) 0.0276 0.0295 0.0312 0.0332 0.0354 0.0372 0.0395 0.0418

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Report Sheet 8: Determining the Ideal Gas Constant

Student ______________________________ Lab Partner__________________________ Date Lab Performed__________ Section #_________ Lab Instructor__________________________________________ Date Report Received ___________

Lab Notebook: Data and Observations

Mass of 1.00 meter length of Mg ribbon (provided by instructor) Barometric pressure (provided by instructor) Temperature of water bath (assumed equal to temperature of H2 gas) Atomic weight of Magnesium Trial # 1 2 3 4 5 6 Length of Mg ribbon, cm ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Volume of H2 gas in graduated cylinder, mL

Observations of Reaction of Magnesium Ribbon with Hydrochloric Acid:

Mg (s) + 2 HCl (aq) H2 (g) + MgCl2 (aq)

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Formal Report: Results and Conclusions

Calculation of MASS of Mg ribbon used
Trial #1: Trial #2:

Trial #3:

Trial #4:

Trial #5:

Trial #6:

Calculation of MOLES of Mg ribbon used

Trial #1: Trial #2:

Trial #3:

Trial #4:

Trial #5:

Trial #6:

MOLES of H2 gas generated, n, from one-to-one stoichiometry of balanced chemical equation

Trial #1: Trial #2:

Trial #3:

Trial #4:

Trial #5:

Trial #6:

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Calculation of VOLUME of H2 gas in liters, V

Trial #1: Trial #2:

Trial #3:

Trial #4:

Trial #5:

Trial #6:

TEMPERATURE of H2 gas in Kelvin, T Calculation:

______________________________

PRESSURE of H2 gas in atmospheres, P Calculation:

______________________________

Calculation of Ideal Gas Constant, R

Trial #1: Trial #2:

Trial #3:

Trial #4:

Trial #5:

Trial #6:

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Average Experimental Value of Ideal Gas Constant, R Calculation:

______________________________

Determine the ACCURACY of your average experimental R value by calculating the Percent Error:

Discussion Questions
1. What do you think were the primary sources of error in your experimental determination of the Ideal Gas Constant? Explain how each source of error would have affected the outcome; that is, caused the value for R to be higher or lower than the accepted value.

2. Suggest two ways in which the experiment could be improved to give a more accurate result.

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