Teacher Notes
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Teacher Notes![]() Green Chemistry Analysis of a MixtureInquiry Lab Kit for AP® ChemistryMaterials Included In KitPotassium bicarbonate, KHCO3, 50 g Additional Materials RequiredBalance, 0.001-g precision (shared)* Prelab PreparationSodium Carbonate/Sodium Bicarbonate Mixture
Potassium Carbonate/Potassium Bicarbonate Mixture
Safety PrecautionsPotassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are slightly toxic by ingestion and are skin irritants. Handle the crucible only with tongs. Do not touch the crucible with fingers or hands. There is a significant burn hazard associated with handling a crucible—remember that a hot crucible looks like a cold one. Wear chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant gloves and a chemical-resistant apron. Remind students to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before leaving the laboratory. Please review current Safety Data Sheets for additional safety, handling and disposal information. DisposalPlease consult your current Flinn Scientific Catalog/Reference Manual for general guidelines and specific procedures, and review all federal, state and local regulations that may apply, before proceeding. Sodium and potassium bicarbonate, along with sodium and potassium carbonate, may be packaged for landfill disposal according to Flinn Suggested Disposal Method #26a. Lab Hints
Teacher Tips
Further ExtensionsOpportunities for Inquiry Answers to Prelab QuestionsCarefully read the Laboratory Procedure for “Determining the Stoichiometry of a Chemical Reaction” (Supplementary Material in the PDF) and then answer the following questions. Use reference books and the Internet when needed. In the experiment, the silver chromate that is produced forms a dense, colorful precipitate that is easy to see and accurately measure.
Sample DataIntroductory Activity Sodium Bicarbonate{13763_Data_Table_1}
Potassium Bicarbonate
{13763_Data_Table_2}
Calculations and Analysis
From the mass of bicarbonate reactant and the balanced chemical equation, calculate the theoretical mass of carbonate solid that should be produced. For the sodium bicarbonate sample of 1.987 grams: {17363_Data_Equation_1}
Grams of Na2CO3 = 1.253 g For the potassium bicarbonate sample of 2.024 grams: {17363_Data_Equation_2}
Grams of K2CO3 = 1.397 g Calculate the percent yield for the bicarbonate decomposition reaction.For the sodium bicarbonate sample of 1.987 grams: {17363_Data_Equation_3}
For the potassium bicarbonate sample of 2.024 grams: {17363_Data_Equation_4}
Guided-Inquiry Activity
{17363_Data_Table_3}
Calculations and Analysis For the potassium bicarbonate/potassium carbonate mixture:{17363_Data_Equation_5}
Mass of KHCO3 = (0.00852 moles) x 100.12 g/mol = 0.853 g % KHCO3 = (0.853 g/1.244 g) x 100 = 68.5% For the sodium bicarbonate/sodium carbonate mixture: {17363_Data_Equation_6}
Mass of NaHCO3 = 0.00697 moles x 84.01 g/mol = 0.585 g % NaHCO3 = (0.585 g/1.333 g) x 100 = 43.9% Answers to QuestionsGuided-Inquiry Discussion Questions
Review Questions for AP® Chemistry
ReferencesAP® Chemistry Guided-Inquiry Experiments: Applying the Science Practices; The College Board: New York, NY, 2013. Recommended Products
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Student Pages
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Student Pages![]() Green Chemistry Analysis of a MixtureIntroductionThe Green Chemistry Program was initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency in the 1990s with the goal of applying chemical principles to prevent pollution. The program calls for the design of chemical products and processes that will reduce the use and generation of hazardous substances. The purpose of this lab is to design an experiment for determining the percent composition of a solid by applying the principles of green chemistry. Concepts
BackgroundMuch of what makes this world modern is the result of the application of chemistry and chemical reactions. Oil and gasoline, prescription drugs, plastics, solvents and fertilizers, to name a few, are all products of chemistry.
In this lab, you will design a process to determine the weight percent of a metal bicarbonate, either sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate, in a mixture of itself and its carbonate counterpart. Sodium and potassium bicarbonate undergo decomposition when heated above 110 °C (Equation 1, M = Na, K). {13763_Background_Equation_1}
At temperatures below 800 °C, potassium and sodium carbonate should remain unreacted. Therefore, if a mixture of bicarbonate and carbonate salts is heated at low temperature, all that remains after heating should be the carbonate solid. This process is intended as a “greener” experiment for teaching stoichiometry. Prevention: It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up the waste after it has been created. In designing a lab activity, evaluate alternative reactions wherever possible and identify the reaction that produces the least waste. Atom Economy: When choosing among various reactions for a lab activity, identify which reaction produces the least amount of byproduct waste. A typical reaction can be represented by the following equation. Reactants → Desired product + Byproduct waste The greater the ratio of desired product to reactants, the greener the reaction. Atom economy can be calculated as a percentage of the mass of the desired product to the mass of all reactants. The higher this percentage, the greener the process. Let’s look at an example of a product that can be produced by two different reactions. Aluminum can be oxidized by water to aluminum oxide (Equation 2). If solid aluminum hydroxide is strongly heated, aluminum oxide and water are produced (Equation 3). {13763_Background_Equation_2}
{13763_Background_Equation_3}
The atom economy for Equation 2 is equal to: {13763_Background_Equation_4}
The atom economy for Equation 3 is equal to: {13763_Background_Equation_5}
Of the two reactions, the first reaction is “greener” in terms of atom economy. Remember, atom economy does not address the toxicity or hazards of either the reactants or the byproducts. Use and Production of Nontoxic Materials—Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses: When possible, choose chemicals that have the least toxic effect on humans and the environment. Check the toxicity of all the chemicals involved in the production of the desired products, including the products themselves. Experiment OverviewThe purpose of this advanced inquiry lab is to design and carry out a green chemistry experiment that can quantitatively measure the weight percent of one compound in a mixture of two compounds. The investigation begins with an introductory activity to verify the decomposition reaction of a solid bicarbonate, either potassium or sodium bicarbonate. These solids undergo the reaction outlined in the Background section. Stoichiometry is defined as the quantitative relationship among constituents in a chemical reaction. Based on the bicarbonate balanced chemical equation and its stoichiometry, you will calculate your atom economy using the experimental data and compare this to the theoretical value. The results provide a model for the guided-inquiry design of an experiment that can quantitatively measure the weight percent of either a sodium carbonate/bicarbonate solid mixture or a potassium carbonate/bicarbonate mixture. You will assess your procedure in terms of the three green principles and then compare this assessment to that of the procedure examined in the Prelab Questions. MaterialsPotassium bicarbonate, KHCO3, 2 g Prelab QuestionsCarefully read the Laboratory Procedure for “Determining the Stoichiometry of a Chemical Reaction” (Supplementary Material in the PDF) and then answer the following questions. Use reference books and the Internet when needed. In the experiment, the silver chromate that is produced forms a dense, colorful precipitate that is easy to see and accurately measure.
Safety PrecautionsPotassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are slightly toxic by ingestion and are skin irritants. Handle the crucible only with tongs. Do not touch the crucible with fingers or hands. There is a significant burn hazard associated with handling a crucible—remember that a hot crucible looks like a cold one. Wear chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant gloves and a chemical-resistant apron. Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water before leaving the laboratory. Follow all laboratory safety guidelines. ProcedureIntroductory Activity Decomposition of Group 1 Bicarbonates
Guided-Inquiry Design and Procedure
Analyze the Results Calculate the mass percent of the bicarbonate compound in the solid mixture. Determine your percent recovery. Student Worksheet PDF |