Experimental Techniques (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Chemistry)

The following paragraph was taken from a student’s notebook.

To make potassium chloride

25.0 cm³ of aqueous potassium hydroxide were placed in a flask and a few drops of indicator were added. Dilute hydrochloric acid was added to the flask until the indicator changed colour. The volume of acid used was 19.0 cm³.

What piece of apparatus should be used to measure the aqueous potassium hydroxide? 

i) Name a suitable indicator that could be used.

 [1]

 ii) The indicator would change from ........................... to ................................

 [2]

Which solution was more concentrated? Explain your answer.

How could pure crystals of potassium chloride be obtained from this experiment? 

A student investigated the reaction between two different solutions of dilute hydrochloric acid, A and B, and solution C which is alkaline. Two experiments were carried out

Experiment 1 A burette was filled with solution A of dilute hydrochloric acid to the 0.0 cm³ mark. Using a measuring cylinder, 20 cm³ of solution C was poured into a conical flask. A few drops of methyl orange were added to the flask.

Solution A was added to the flask, with shaking, until the mixture just changed colour. Use the burette diagram to record the burette reading in the table and complete the table.

Experiment 2 The burette was emptied and rinsed, first with distilled water, and then with a little of solution B. The burette was filled with solution B of dilute hydrochloric acid to the 0.0 cm³ mark.

Experiment 1 was repeated using solution B.

Use the burette diagram to record the burette reading in the table and complete the table.

i) What type of chemical reaction takes place when hydrochloric acid reacts with alkaline solutions?

[1]

ii) Why is methyl orange added to the flask?

[1]

Why was the burette rinsed, first with distilled water and then with solution B, before starting Experiment 2?

Separate: Chemistry and Extended Only 

i) In which experiment was the greater volume of dilute hydrochloric acid used?

 [1]

 ii) Compare the volumes of dilute hydrochloric acid used in Experiments 1 and 2.

 [1]

 iii) Suggest, in terms of the concentration of solutions A and B, an explanation for the difference in volumes used. 

 [2]

Separate: Chemistry and Extended Only

If Experiment 2 was repeated using 10 cm³ of solution C, what volume of dilute hydrochloric acid would be used? Explain your answer. 

Separate: Chemistry Only

Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using a measuring cylinder for solution C.

Describe a method other than titration, using a different reactant, that could be used to compare the concentrations of the two solutions of dilute hydrochloric acid, A and B.

A student investigated the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction between sodium thiosulfate solution and dilute hydrochloric acid:

Na₂S₂O₃ (aq) + 2HCl (aq)  → 2NaCl (aq) + S (s) + SO₂ (g) + H₂O (l)

The reaction between these two substances produces a precipitate which makes the mixture turn cloudy. 

A student timed how long it took until the cross could no longer be seen through the precipitate, shown in Figure 1.

They then calculated the rate of reaction and repeated the experiment at different temperatures. 

Figure 1 

Name the product that made the mixture go cloudy.

Suggest two control variables for the investigation that would ensure valid results are obtained.

Define the terms:

i) Solution 

[1]

ii) Solvent

[1]

iii) Solute 

[1]

From the products formed in part a) identify:

i) The solute

[1]

ii) The solvent 

[1]

Rock salt is a mixture of sand and salt. Salt dissolves in water while sand does not. 

A group of students separated rock salt. 

They used the following method.

1. Add the rock salt to a beaker.

2. Add 250 cm³ of water.

3. Leave without disturbing to allow the sand to settle to the bottom.

4. After a while, filter the salt water into an evaporating dish.

5. Heat the evaporating dish with a Bunsen burner until salt crystals begin to form.

i) Suggest one improvement to step 2 that the students could have done to make sure all the salt is dissolved.

 [1]

 ii) What name is given to the solution when no more salt can dissolve at this specific temperature?

 [1]

Identify the residue and filtrate in step 4. 

Suggest one safety precaution the students should take in step 5.

Another student separated water from salty water using the apparatus in the diagram below.

 By referring to points 1 and 2 in the diagram, describe how this technique works.

Identify the residue in the experiment being carried out in part (d).

A chemist used a volumetric pipette to add 25.0 cm³ of a solution of sodium hydroxide of unknown concentration to a conical flask.

The chemist then carried out a titration to find out the volume of 0.150 mol / dm³ sulfuric acid needed to neutralise the sodium hydroxide.

Describe how the chemist would complete the titration.

You should state a suitable indicator and give the colour change that would be observed.

Explain why a pipette would be used to measure the sodium hydroxide solution but a burette would be used to measure the sulfuric acid solution.

A student investigated the effect of the size of calcium carbonate lumps, CaCO₃, on the rate of reaction with hydrochloric acid, HCl, using the following method:

1. Put 50 cm³ of hydrochloric acid into a conical flask 

2. Add 12 g of large calcium carbonate lumps into the flask

3. Attach the gas syringe

4. Measure the volume of gas produced every 30 seconds for 180 seconds 

5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 using 12 g of small calcium carbonate lumps.

6. The number of moles of gas for each volume was calculated.

The results for large calcium carbonate lumps are shown below.

Table 1

The student had already plotted the data for small calcium carbonate lumps.

   Plot the data for the large calcium carbonate lumps and draw a line of best fit.

Determine the mean rate of reaction for small calcium carbonate lumps between 35 seconds and 90 seconds. 

Give the unit. 

Use the graph in part (a)

Extended Only

What conclusion can be made about the rate of reaction of small calcium carbonate lumps compared to large calcium carbonate lumps?

Give one reason for your answer. 

Complete and balance the equation for the reaction between calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid.

_______   +   _______      →     CaCl₂   +   _______    +    _______ 

Separate: Chemistry Only

State one advantage and two disadvantages of using a gas syringe as opposed to a upturned measuring cylinder when collecting gas.

The diagram shows two bottles of liquid oven cleaner. 

The oven cleaners contain sodium hydroxide solution. Plan an investigation to show which oven cleaner contains the highest concentration of sodium hydroxide. 

A student investigated the reaction between aqueous sodium hydroxide and acid K. Two experiments were carried out. 

Experiment 1

Using a measuring cylinder, 25 cm³ of acid K was poured into a conical flask. Phenolphthalein indicator was added to the flask. A burette was filled with aqueous sodium hydroxide to the 0.0 cm³ mark. Aqueous sodium hydroxide was added from the burette to the flask and the mixture shaken until the solution showed a permanent colour change. The final volume was measured. Use the burette diagram to record the final volume in the table and complete the table.

Experiment 2 The solution was poured away and the conical flask rinsed. Using a measuring cylinder, 50 cm³ of acid K was poured into the conical flask. 0.3 g of powdered calcium carbonate was added to the flask and the flask shaken until no further reaction was observed. Phenolphthalein was added to the mixture in the flask. A burette was filled with the same aqueous sodium hydroxide and the initial volume measured. Aqueous sodium hydroxide was added from the burette to the flask and the mixture shaken until the solution showed a permanent colour change. Use the burette diagrams to record the initial and final volumes in the table and complete the table.

What type of chemical reaction occurred when acid K reacted with sodium hydroxide?

If Experiment 1 were repeated using 50 cm³ of acid K, what volume of sodium hydroxide would be required to change the colour of the indicator?

i) What were the effects of adding 0.3 g of powdered calcium carbonate to acid K? 

[2]

ii) Use your answer in (d) to work out the difference between the volume of sodium hydroxide needed to completely react with 50 cm³ of acid K and the volume of sodium hydroxide used in Experiment 2.

[2]

iii) Estimate the mass of calcium carbonate that would be needed to be added to 50 cm³ of acid K to require 0.0 cm³ of sodium hydroxide.

[1]

What would be the effect on the results if the solutions of acid K were warmed before adding the sodium hydroxide?
Give a reason for your answer.

Separate: Chemistry Only

Suggest the advantage, if any, of 

i) using a pipette to measure the volume of acid K.

[2]

ii) using a polystyrene cup instead of a flask.

[2]

A student investigated what happened when sodium thiosulphate dissolved in water.    

Experiment 1

By using a measuring cylinder, 20 cm³ of distilled water was poured into a polystyrene cup.

Use the thermometer diagram to record the temperature of the water in the table.

1 g of powdered sodium thiosulphate was added to the cup and the mixture stirred with a thermometer. Use the thermometer diagram to record the temperature of the solution.    

Experiment 2

Experiment 1 was repeated using 2 g of powdered sodium thiosulphate. Record the temperature in the table.    

Experiments 3, 4 and 5

Experiment 1 was repeated using 3 g, 4 g and 5 g of powdered sodium thiosulphate respectively. Record the temperatures in the table.

What type of chemical reaction occurs when sodium thiosulphate dissolves in water?

Explain how the temperature changes would differ in the experiments if 40 cm³ of water were used.

Suggest one change you could make to the apparatus used in the experiments to obtain more accurate results.

Ammonia is produced when aqueous sodium hydroxide is warmed with ammonium sulfate. Ammonia is less dense than air and very soluble in water. The apparatus below was used to prepare a sample of dry ammonia gas.

Name substance C.

Name substance D.

What necessary piece of equipment is missing in the diagram?

Suggest why concentrated sulfuric acid should not be used to dry ammonia.

There are two other mistakes in the apparatus shown in the diagram. Identify and explain these mistakes.

mistake 1 ..........................................................................................................
explanation ..........................................................................................................

mistake 2 ..........................................................................................................
explanation ..........................................................................................................