Post-lab Questions: Grahams Law
1. Why was it important to keep the inside of the tube dry?
2. How would each of the following affect your calculated molar mass of HCl (incorrectly high, low or no effect)? Explain your answers.
a) A student placed the HCl-soaked cotton in first, and then placed the NH3-soaked cotton on the other end.
b) The temperature of the classroom increased during the lab period and the temperature during each trial was significantly higher than the one before it.
1) The primary requirement for determination of rates of diffusion using Graham’s law is that we need to work with gases. Hence, drops of concentrated HCl and NH3 are introduced in a perfectly dry test tube and sealed at the same time. HCl and NH3 are soluble in water; hence, if the test tube is not dry, HCl and NH3 will dissolve in the water forming aqueous HCl and NH3 and the purpose of Graham’s law will be defeated.
2) I need the experimental procedure to answer these two questions.
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