DETERMINATION OF AVOGADROS NUMBER

NAME:
DATE:
INSTRUCTOR:
Introduction:
This experiment is aimed at determining the value of the Avogadros
number through indirect measurements of the volume of a mole and the
C18 H 34 O2
volume of a molecule of oleic acid,
.
Avogadros number is the number of any item per mole. Avogadros
number of people means
molecules means

6.022 10

6.022 10

23

23

people. Avogadros number of

molecules, that is, one mole. It is possible

to determine the value of Avogadros number from a property such as the

mass or volume of a system which may be experimentally determined for
one molecule as well as one mole of the molecules.
In this experiment, the property measured is the volume instead of the
mass and the substance that will be used for such measurements is Oleic
Acid. The value of Avogadros number is to be determined by obtaining
the ratio of the volume per mole of Oleic Acid (VA) to the volume per
molecule of the acid (vA ) as shown below.
vol.c m3
V
1 mole
N o= A =
=number of molecules/mole=Avogadro s number
v A vol.c m3
1molecule
The volume of one mole of oleic acid, VA, is determined by dividing the
molar mass by the density which is 0.894 g/cm3 (V = M / ). The molar
A

mass of Oleic Acid is obtained from the molecular formula given above
and the atomic weights of the elements in grams.
The use of indirect measurement is resorted to in determining the volume
of one molecule of oleic acid. When a very dilute solution of Oleic Acid is
placed on the surface of water the acid spreads out on the surface in a
film one molecule thick. The hydrophilic end of the molecule, remain

oriented inwards and the hydrophobic end outwards. From a general idea
of the shape of the molecule, long and narrow, it is possible to estimate
the volume of the molecule as the size of a rectangular box. The
molecular volume is approximated as the product of the length, width and
height of the box.
The concentration of the acid used for obtaining the monolayer film is
0.50% by volume in methyl alcohol. The volume of the acid used in each
trial is therefore 0.0050 x Vdrop used. The acid will form a circular film on
the surface and its area may be determined by measuring the diameter of
the circle (D) and using the standard equation for the area of a circle A =
R2 where R is the radius of the surface film (R=D/2). The thickness of
the film is obtained by dividing the volume of acid in one drop by the area
calculated for the circular film this drop makes on the water

(t= VAA = VRA )

2

since the shape of the layer of acid is approximately an

extremely short cylinder. V is the volume of the Oleic acid in one drop and
R is the radius of the surface film of Oleic Acid.
The value of the length of the molecule is the thickness of the film t. The
width, w, is calculated as t/10 for the model.
Procedure:
1. A watch glass is cleaned thoroughly with soap, water and distilled water.

2.

It is filled completely with distilled water from a wash bottle.

3. Concentration of the oleic acid solution is recorded and the solution is delivered
slowly near the centre of water in the watch glass.

4. Diameter of the monolayer is recorded. From it, calculated the area of the monolayer.

5. Thickness of monolayer, t, is obtained by dividing volume of oleic acid in a drop with

the area of the monolayer.

6. Width of the box is estimated as t/10. From it, calculated the volume of the box
containing one molecule.

7. Avogadros number is calculated by dividing molar volume with the volume of a

molecule.

Calculations:
1. Volume of one drop

3.202.40
3
mL=8.00 10 mL
100

2. Volume of oleic acid in one drop of 0.50% methanolic solution

8.00 103 mL 0.0050=4.00 105 mL

3. Molar mass of oleic acid 18 12.0107+34 1.008+ 2 16=282.4646 g

4. Density of oleic acid 0.894 g/ c m

5. Molar volume

282.4646 g
3
=315.956 c m
3
0.894 g . c m

6. Area of the film 167 c m

7. Thickness of the film, t

4.0 0 105 c m3
=2.40 107 cm
2
167 c m

2.40 107 cm
=2.40 108 cm
8. Box Model: Estimated width of the box
10

9. Volume of one molecule (box model)

3

( 2.40 108 cm ) =1 . 37 102 3 c m 3

315.956 c m3
25
10. Number of molecules in 1 mole 1 . 37 102 3 c m3 =2.20 10
Conclusion:
The result obtained is comparatively higher, compared with the actual value, having a
relative error of 99%. Possible sources of error may come from measurements in the
volume of a drop, and the estimated parameters of the box model for the molecule.
May be, width of the monolayer was considerably higher than what was approximated
in the box model.