So I did an experiment at school in which we had to form 2.00 grams of precipitate by mixing 2 hydrated compounds. So for the products, obviously one of it is water, and the other 2 products are compounds, one of which, is insoluble. So when I measured the amount of precipitate it was less than 2.00 grams, I had gotten a percent yield of about 75% or 76%, so I need to address 2 sources of error, 1) why was the percent yield lower, and 2) what would cause for the percent yield to be higher than 100%?
So since my percent yield is lower than 100%, that means I added to much water to it? and if my percent yield was too high that would mean I used too much precipitate?
Please tell me if I am right, or correct me if I am wrong, thanks for your help :)
There isn't enough information here for me to know what you've done except is very general terms. The usual reason in experiments of this type where yield is greater than 100% the problem is insufficient drying.
If you can provide more details perhaps I can help further.
We have to mixed 2 hydrated compounds each in a separate beaker filled with water, and then dump one of the solutions into the other and mix that, then filter the 1 solution out, so that the precipitate is caught in a filter paper, and the water is caught in an erlynmeyer flask.
The 2 compounds mixed together were magnesium sulfate heptahydrate and sodium carbonate decahydrate, and the products are water sodium sulfate and magnesium carbonate (the precipitate)
It's great that you're analyzing the sources of error in your experiment! Let's address your questions one by one.
1) Why was the percent yield lower than 100%?
There can be various reasons for a lower percent yield than 100%. One possibility is that not all of the reactants reacted to form the desired product. This could be due to incomplete mixing, insufficient reaction time, or the formation of side products. Another reason could be product loss during the experiment, such as during filtration or transfer of the precipitate.
2) What would cause the percent yield to be higher than 100%?
A percent yield higher than 100% is usually not possible in a chemical reaction. Theoretically, the maximum percent yield can be 100% when all the limiting reactant is converted into the desired product. However, errors in measurement or calculation can sometimes cause the calculated yield to be slightly higher than 100%, but this is just a calculation error.
To address your assumptions:
- If your percent yield is lower than 100%, it doesn't necessarily mean you added too much water. It could be due to any of the reasons mentioned above.
- Similarly, if your percent yield were too high, it wouldn't necessarily mean you used too much precipitate. It would most likely be due to measurement or calculation errors.
To identify the specific sources of error in your experiment, it would be helpful to review your procedure, consider the quality and purity of the reactants, and evaluate the techniques you used for measuring and collecting the precipitate. Additionally, consulting with your teacher or lab instructor can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.
Remember that understanding the sources of error and analyzing your results critically are essential for improving experimental techniques and obtaining more accurate and reliable data.