IB Chem HL Experimental Questions

Chap. 1
1. Calculation of empirical formula of metal oxides by reacting the metal with
oxygen
Known: 1. Mass of vacant crucible;
2. Mass of crucible + metal;
3. Mass of crucible + metal oxide;
4. Mass of crucible + metal oxide (heat and weigh another time to make sure the
reaction is complete. If the masses don’t equal, then it means the reaction on 1st heating
is incomplete, and so another heating and weighing process is required until the
consecutive weighings show equal values).
Strategy: 1. Get the difference between 2 and 1 to get the mass of metal;
2. Get the difference between 3 and 2 to get the mass of oxygen;
3. Get the mole of both metal and oxygen;
4. Get the empirical formula.
Related questions: 1. Predict and explain on how different misconducting procedures could
affect the result;
2. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value).
3. Suggest any improvements on the experiment apparatus or procedures.

2. Calculation of empirical formula of hydrated salt by heating the hydrated salt to

remove water
Known: 1. Mass of vacant crucible;
2. Mass of crucible + hydrated salt;
3. Mass of crucible + anhydrous salt;
4. Mass of crucible + anhydrous salt (heat and weigh another time to make sure the
reaction is complete. If the masses don’t equal, then it means the reaction on 1st
heating is incomplete, and so another heating and weighing process is required until
the consecutive weighings show equal values).
Strategy: 1. Get the difference between 3 and 1 to get the mass of anhydrous salt;
2. Get the difference between 2 and 3 to get the mass of water loss;
3. Get the mole of both anhydrous salt and water (take each of them as a whole);
4. Get the empirical formula.
Related questions: 1. Predict and explain on how different misconducting procedures could
affect the result;
2. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value)
3. Suggest any improvements on the experiment apparatus or procedures.

3. Titration (acid & base, redox, see Chap. 8, 9)

Chap. 2
None
Chap. 3
None

Chap. 4
None

Chap. 5
1. Calculation of enthalpy change of a reaction not in a solution
Known: 1. Volume/mass of water used to absorb heat;
2. Temperature before the reaction;
3. Temperature after the reaction;
4. Mass of the reactant.
Strategy: 1. Get the temperature change in either Celsius or Kelvin (the same);
2. Get the heat gained by water using q = mcΔT;
3. Deduce the limiting reactant and get the mole of it;
4. Get the enthalpy change using ΔH = –q/nlimiting;
Related questions: 1. State the assumptions made in the calculations (all energy released
transferred to water as heat energy, complete reaction/combustion);
2. Predict and explain on how different misconducting procedures could
affect the result;
3. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value): e.g. HEAT LOSS TO THE SURROUNDING
4. Suggest any improvements on the experiment apparatus or procedures;

2. Calculation of enthalpy change of a reaction in an aqueous solution

Known: 1. Volume/mass of water used to absorb heat;
2. Temperature before the reaction;
3. Temperature after the reaction;
4. Mass of the reactant.
Strategy: 1. Get the final temperature by drawing the extrapolation of the cooling curve (a
straight line) and fine the point on the cooling curve that is at the beginning of the
experiment;
2. Get the temperature change in either Celsius or Kelvin (the same);
3. Get the heat gained by the solution using q = mcΔT;
4. Deduce the limiting reactant and get the mole of it;
5. Get the enthalpy change using ΔH = –q/nlimiting;
Related questions: 1. State the assumptions made in the calculations (all energy released
transferred to water as heat energy, complete reaction/combustion, no heat loss to the
surroundings (if not considering the cooling curve), specific heat capacity, density,
mass of solution = water, constant cooling rate);
2. Predict and explain on how different misconducting procedures could
affect the result;
3. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value): e.g. HEAT LOSS TO THE SURROUNDINGS;
4. Suggest any improvements on the experiment apparatus or procedures;
 5. Determine the time that reaction ends (at maximum temperature).

Chap. 6
1. Calculation of rate of reaction by change in mass of reaction mixture
Known: 1. Total mass of reaction mixture before the reaction;
2. Total mass of reaction mixture after the reaction;
3. Time taken for the reaction;
4. Volume of the solution.
Strategy: 1. Calculate the difference between 1 and 2 to get the mass of gas;
2. Calculate the mole of gas and so the mole of the reactant that is required;
3. Calculate the concentration of the reactant that is required;
4. Calculate the AVERAGE rate of the reaction (the instantaneous rate cannot be
calculated in this way).
Related questions: 1. Explain the use of cotton wools;
2. Explain which kind of gases produced are more/less suitable in this
way (the higher molar mass the better to minimize the percentage uncertainty)

2. Calculation of rate of reaction by change in volume of gas produced using water

displacement method
Known: 1. Temperature of the water;
2. Volume of gas collected;
3. Time taken for the reaction;
4. Vapor pressure of water under this temperature;
5. Volume of the solution;
6. Atmospheric pressure.
Strategy: 1. Calculate the difference between 6 and 4 to get the partial pressure of the gas
collected;
2. Calculate the mole of gas using pV = nRT and so the mole of the reactant that is
required;
3. Calculate the concentration of the reactant that is required;
4. Calculate the AVERAGE rate of the reaction (the instantaneous rate cannot be
calculated in this way).
Related questions: 1. Explain which kind of gases produced are more/less suitable in this way
(the lower solubility in water the better so nonpolar gases are better);
2. Predict and explain on how different misconducting procedures could
affect the result;
3. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value): e.g. HEAT LOSS TO THE SURROUNDINGS;
4. Suggest any improvements on the experiment apparatus or procedures;

3. Calculation of rate of reaction by change in absorbance at a certain wavelength

Known: 1. Calibration curve;
2. Absorption of solution along time;
3. Volume of the solution;
Strategy: 1. Plot a graph from the data;
2. Draw the best fit line;
 3. Calculate the absorption and so the concentration of the colored reactant/product
from the best fit line;
4. Calculate the instantaneous rate of the reaction by getting the gradient at a certain
time point.
Related questions: 1. Explain which kind of reactions are more/less suitable in this way (only
one reactant/product is colored is better, darker colored substances used for lower
concentration situation, lighter colored substances used for higher concentration
situation);
2. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value): e.g. using empty cuvette rather than cuvette with distilled water as
the reference;

Chap. 7
None.

Chap. 8
1. Acid-base titration
Known: 1. Volume of acid/base solution with unknown concentration;
2. Concentration of base/acid solution with known concentration;
3. Volume of base/acid solution with known concentration;
Strategy: c1V1/coefficient1 = c2V2/coefficient2;
Related questions: 1. Relate to enthalpy change of neutralization (producing 1 mol of water);
2. Determine the end point (color change (be aware which is in the burette
which is in the flask), temperature maximum);
3. Describe the process to make solutions;
4. Describe the process to conduct titration;
5. Draw the titration curve;
6. Calculate the pH at equivalence point;
7. Calculate the pH at half-equivalence point to get pKa/pKb of the weak
acid/base;
8. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value): e.g. overshoot;

Chap. 9
1. Redox titration
Known: 1. Volume of acid/base solution with unknown concentration;
2. Concentration of base/acid solution with known concentration;
3. Volume of base/acid solution with known concentration;
Strategy: c1V1/coefficient1 = c2V2/coefficient2;
Related questions: 1. Write the half equations and full equation of the reaction;
2. Deduce the color change at end point (be aware which is in the burette
which is in the flask);
3. Determine the end point (color change, temperature maximum);
4. Suggest possible reasons for a known direction of error (e.g. higher than
theoretical value): e.g. overshoot;
2. Electrolysis (production of metal, electroplating)
 Known: 1. Electric current;
2. Time duration;
Strategy: q = It, ne- = q/F, nmetal = ne- / charge on the metal ion;
Related questions: 1. Write the half equations and full equation of the reaction;
2. Deduce the observation at both electrodes (be aware which products
would produce according to electrode potentials);
3. Deduce and explain on the product especially in cases of aqueous
solutions.

Chap. 10
None.

Chap. 11
None.