Apparatus
These are the following apparatus I am going to use in the experiment: -
The measuring cylinder is a key equipment that is going to play a huge role during the experiment. The measuring cylinder would help give a accurate measurement of the water level, after every 10 seconds.
The Thistle Funnel would help me during the experiment through the process of me adding the calcium carbonate powder and the hydrochloric acid to both react (funnel at the top).
Conical Flask
The Conical Flask will enable me during the experiment to see if the reaction between hydrochloric acid, and calcium carbonate (powder) has taken place. It will also help me to see where I have poured the powder, (bottom of flask).
A Stop clock is a vital equipment used in the experiment to help time the reaction after every 10 seconds.
The image below shows where all the equipment is going to be placed: -
Safety
During the experiment I will have to be very careful and place all the equipment in a safe place, e.g. centre of table. I’ll will have to make sure that all the glass equipment isn’t on the side of the table, since that will result in glass being broken.
The use of safety goggles will give me an advantage just in case the hydrochloric acid catches my eyes. When I am walking around the classroom with the beaker in my hand, I will have to make sure that it is safe, so that the hydrochloric acid, and calcium carbonate doesn’t react with anything else. I also need to use all the equipment delicately especially the thistle funnel and the conical flask since both equipment will carry some form of hydrochloric acid and calcium carbonate (powder). If hydrochloric acid is to make contact with my hands I am to remain clam, and to wash my hands thoroughly.
Method
For this experiment it required a group of 5 people to carry out a successful investigation. We each had certain roles to do, which made things quite easy. First of all we had to measure the amount of Calcium carbonate (powder) with a scale. The amount we needed was 3grams. We then had to keep the powder in a safe place and next focus on pouring the varied amount of concentrated dilute hydrochloric acid which was 1 Molar (50cm3 of hydrochloric acid as seen on graph above) into a small measuring flask. Then we had to fill a box with water, which was able to fill up a large measuring flask.
The measuring flask was then tipped over into the box, full of water so that no water was escaping. We then, added the calcium carbonate (powder), used the thistle funnel, plugged it onto the conical flask and ensured that the rubber part was tightly pushed down. We then were ready to add the last ingredient, which was the hydrochloric acid. With the stop clock in our hands we indicated when it was suitable to start. Once the hydrochloric acid made contact with the powder, we immediately started the timer.
After every 10 seconds we counted how much gas was given off, and looked at the measuring flask to see the amount of water left.
Fair Test
To make sure the experiment was as fair as possible I had to repeat it at least 3 times in order to make sure everything was okay. I am also going to make sure that it is fair by getting an average, which was adding all the times, and dividing them by the number of results.
I will also use roughly the same amount of calcium carbonate powder, which is 3grams. Every time I begin a new experiment, (changing the concentration) I will ensure that the beakers and flask is clean, since this may affect some of the experiments. To make sure the experiment is fair I will also have to make sure the rubber part is pushed down very hard, to make sure no gas is trying to escape. This will have to be checked in every experiment, or it may have odd results.
Results
1st Table of Results
2nd Table of Results
3rd Table of Results
Average Results
Analysis
During the experiment as I looked through the conical flask and I saw the dilute hydrochloric acid and the powder begin to fix, indicating that a reaction had definitely took place. Since I recorded all the results, and plotted them on graph paper as a form of line graphs I began to realise that the more concentration of hydrochloric acid added, the quicker the reaction would be. This proves on the graph, as the less concentration added, the curves begin to level off.
As my prediction was stated, my results have came to the same statement that, the more concentrated acid added, the quicker the reaction would take, whereas the less concentrated acid added, the longer the reaction would take.
Evaluation
My experiment carried out was a success and the recorded information was slightly correct, but I did come across some difficulties. When I decided to add the Calcium carbonate powder some of it was sticking to the bottom of the flask because the flask was wet. If I was to the experiment again, I would make sure that I clean the flask properly, ensuring that the powder wouldn’t stick.
Also the small rubber tube from the thistle funnel wasn’t straight at all times and wasn’t touching the flask. Since it wasn’t straight this resulted in no reaction taken place, making our results not being fair. To make sure that this problem was resolved we had to make sure that the rubber tube was kind of bent, and that it made contact with the flask. The process of adding the powder into the flask may have been a difficulty since all the powder (3 grams) didn’t actually enter the flask, which varied my reading. The conditions of different days may have also differed my reading, since it may have been hot one day, and cold the other.
If I was to the do the whole experiment again, I will ensure that I try to do everything in 1 day, and to use the same amount of hydrochloric acid, since the acid may have been different from time to time. Overall the experiment was okay, but the readings may have been different because of the problems we encountered.
