LABORATORY ACTIVITY 4

INTRODUCTION TO
LABORATORY
TECHNIQUES
GROUP 3
 Name: CATUDIO, FRANCINE MAE G. Date: 09/18/2023

Year & Section: DDM 2-1 Score:

Course: Doctor of Dental Medicine

INTRODUCTION

A. Separation by Distillation

Distillation is a widely used technique in chemistry for separating mixtures based on

differences in their boiling points. When a mixture is heated, the component with the
lowest boiling point evaporates first, rising into a separate chamber, while the higher-
boiling components remain in their original state or phase. This vapor is then condensed
back into a liquid, collected, and often referred to as the "distillate." The process can be
repeated as necessary to achieve the desired level of separation and purity. In this
experiment, we employed distillation to separate a mixture containing potassium
permanganate (KMnO4) and water. This separation process relies on the distinct boiling
points of the individual components within the mixture.

B. Identifying Substances by their Properties

In the realm of chemistry, one fundamental and indispensable aspect of identifying

substances is the study of their solubility and miscibility properties. Solubility refers to a
substance's ability to dissolve in a particular solvent, whereas miscibility refers to the
degree to which two liquids can mix and form a homogeneous solution. In this
experiment, we will explore the distinctive solubility and miscibility behaviors of three
substances: starch, sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), and a mixture of water and alcohol as
well as a mixture of water and diethyl ether. By observing how these substances interact
with different solvents, we can discern their unique characteristics and use these
properties as a tool for identification.

C. Density

Density is a fundamental property of matter that describes how tightly packed the
particles in a substance are. It is defined as the mass of an object or substance per unit
volume. In this experiment, we will explore the concept of density by measuring the
density of water in a graduated cylinder and the density of an irregularly shaped solid
object. In this experiment, we will demonstrate how to measure the density of a solid
with an unpredictable shape. By comparing the calculated density of the solid with the
known density of water, we can assess whether the object will float or sink in water,
providing insights into its composition and density relative to water.
MATERIALS

Potassium permanganate
Starch
Sodium carbonate
Distilled water
Any solid particle
Diethyl ether
Ethyl alcohol
Bunsen burner
One hold rubber stopper
Boiling chips
50 mL beakers
Balance
Graduated Cylinder
Ring clamp

METHODOLOGY

Part A. Separation by Distillation

1. Pour 30 mL of potassium permanganate into a round bottom flask then add some
boiling chips into the flask to make the solution boil calmly and make an even
distribution of heat.
2. Set up a distillation apparatus by placing the condenser's short end within a one-
holed rubber stopper.
3. Light the Bunsen burner and adjust it into a small flame.
4. Heat the solution (KMnO4) potassium permanganate, then watch as the heated
solvent vapors cool and drip into the test tube. Continue distilling until
approximately 10 mL of liquid has been produced. Compare the distillate's hue to that
of the initial solution and note any differences you find. Write your observations.

Part B.1. Identifying Substances by Their Properties (Solubility in Water)

1. Fill two test tubes with 10mL of water each.

2. Place a small amount of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and starch into the test tubes
filled with water. Gently shake the tubes to see if the ingredients will dissolve. Set the
test tube aside for a few minutes then reexamine.

Part B.2. Identifying Substances by Their Properties (Miscibility)

1. On two clean test tubes, fill half of them with water.

2. Add some alcohol to the first tube and oil to the second. Gently shake the test tubes
to combine the contents then watch what transpired. Identify which one is miscible.
Part C.1. Density Measurement (Density of Water)

1. Before weighing it, place the beaker on the triple beam balance.
2. Then, add 20 mL of water to the beaker, and once more weigh it to determine the
mass of water. Use density calculation to determine the density of water.

Part C.2. Density Measurement (Density of a Solid)

1. Find a solid that is irregular in shape (in this case, a 2-inch-high rock that is) and
weigh it.
2. Put the solid (rock) into the beaker that was previously filled with 20 ml of water,
and then measure the increase in the water level to determine the solid's volume.
Calculate the solid material's density using the density formula.

RESULTS

Part A. Separation by Distillation

- When the 30 ml potassium permanganate (solid KMnO4, dissolved in water) has

reached its boiling point and the hot solvent vapors of the solution was able to cool
down, it can be observed that the color of the potassium permanganate solution
changes from violet to colorless. Thus, the color of the distillate that was collected in the
test tube was colorless and free from impurities and foul odor.

Part B. Identifying Substances by Their Properties (Solubility or Miscibility)

Part C. Density Measurement (Density of Water and Density of a Solid)

LABEL

PART A (Experiment 1 – Distillation)

Reagents:
Potassium permanganate (KMnO4)
Distilled water
Units of Measurement:
Capacity: Milliliter (mL)
30 milliliters (mL) of potassium permanganate
20 milliliters (mL) of distilled water
Temperature: Celsius (°C) or Kelvin (K)

PART B.1. Solubility in Water

Reagents:
Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3)
Starch
Distilled water
Units of Measurement:
Capacity: Milliliter (mL)
10 milliliter of water
Time: Minute
Solubility: grams of solute per 100 grams of solvent

PART B.2. Miscibility

Compounds:
Ethyl Alcohol
Oil
Distilled water
Units of Measurement:
Capacity: Milliliter (mL)
1 milliliter of Ethyl Alcohol
1 milliliter of Oil
10 milliliter of water
PART C.1. Density of Water
Equipments:
Distilled water
Beaker
Units of Measurement:
Capacity: Milliliter (mL)
20 milliliters of distilled water
Weight: grams (g)
Density: grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3)

PART C.2. Density of a Solid

Equipments:
Solid particle (rock)
Water-filled beaker
Units of Measurement:
Capacity: milliliter (mL)
Weight: grams (g)
Density: grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3)

DISCUSSION

A. Distillation of KMnO4, or potassium permanganate, typically involves heating the

compound to release oxygen gas and leaving behind MnO2 (manganese dioxide)
residue. The process can be used to purify KMnO4. The distillation of KMnO4 yields
oxygen gas while leaving behind manganese dioxide, allowing for purification of the
compound.

B. Because of their differences in solubility and miscibility, starch and Na2CO3

behave differently in water. In water, starch forms a colloidal suspension, whereas
Na2CO3 is very soluble and forms a clear, homogeneous solution. This distinction is
owing to the two substances' unique chemical properties, with Na2CO3 being an
ionic molecule and starch. Starch and Na2CO3 miscibility in water imply that they
are soluble and may mix uniformly in the solution. Because of its bigger size, starch
is more likely to form a colloidal suspension, whereas Na2CO3 rapidly dissolves in
water to produce carbonate ions, making them compatible in an aqueous medium.

C. The density of the water in the beaker is less than that of the rock. This is due to
the fact that water is less dense than most rocks, causing it to float or remain on
top when the rock is submerged in water.
The table 1 shows that the starch is insoluble in water while the sodium carbonate is
soluble in water. This indicates that starch does not dissolve in water and forms a
heterogeneous mixture whereas the sodium carbonate dissolves evenly in water and it
forms a homogeneous solution.

The table 2 shows that the mixture of water and alcohol are miscible whereas the
mixture of water and oil is immiscible. This demonstrates that the mixture of water and
alcohol is completely uniform in appearance while the mixture of water and oil do not
mix with each other and layers are formed.

This table shows that the density of water while using a graduated cylinder is 0.19g/cm3.
On the other hand, the density of the irregular shape solid is 0.48 g/cm3.
CONCLUSION

This experiment's main goal is to teach students how to break down mixtures based on
differences in their boiling points, identify substances through the study of their
solubility and miscibility properties, and explore the concept of density by calculating
the densities of two irregularly shaped solid objects and water in a graduated cylinder.

And when the first experiment was done which is the separation of distillation, we
conclude that the color of the potassium permanganate solution changes from violet
to colorless once it has reached its boiling point and the heated solvent vapors of the
solution have been able to cool down.

In the second experiment which is identifying substances by their properties, as you

can see in our table 1, to conclude all that, we learned that at normal temperature,
starches are insoluble in neutral water. Generally speaking, starch is insoluble in the
majority of conventional solvents because of the solid hydrogen bonding in semi-
crystalline granules. While sodium carbonate is soluble in water, due to the presence of
an ionic bond in sodium carbonate, it is soluble in water. It dissolves readily in water.
The positive portion of water molecules attracts the negative carbonate ions because
they are polar.

And in table 2, the result of mixture of water and alcohol are miscible because no
matter how much ethanol you add to any amount of water, the result will always be a
clear, colorless liquid that is identical to the ones you started with. And the mixture of
water and oil is immiscible because they are two immiscible liquids, which means they
can't be mixed. When the force of attraction between the molecules of the same liquid
is stronger than the force of attraction between the two separate liquids, liquids have a
tendency to be immiscible.

For the last experiment, we computed the density of water in a graduated cylinder and
the density of an irregularly shaped solid object. The only thing we did was to measure
the density and come up with the solution whether the object will sink or float into the
water.
LITERATURE CITED

HCC Learning Web “Experiment 3: identification of a substance by physics properties”

Retrieved from https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/paul.clemens/chem35306/lab-
experiments/lab-experiment-3-identification-of-a-substance-by-physical-properties

Kim, S. H., Biswas, A., Singh, M., Peterson, S. C., & Liu, S. (2012, November 1). Thermal
dissolution of maize starches in aqueous medium. Journal of Cereal Science; Elsevier BV.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2012.08.004

L. (2022, October 4). 7.9: Miscibility. Chemistry LibreTexts.

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Book%3A_Structure_and_
Reactivity_in_Organic_Biological_and_Inorganic_Chemistry_(Schaller)/I%3A__Chemical_
Structure_and_Properties/07%3A_Structure-
Property_Relationships/7.09%3A_Miscibility#:~:text=Water%20and%20ethanol%20are%
20one,the%20ones%20you%20started%20with.

Lie, Z.,Li, C & Chen, B. (2007) ”extractive distillation: a review” Taylor and Francis Online.
Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1081/spm-120026627

Science Buddies (2016) “scientific american”. Retrieved from

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/separation-by-distillation/

Why do oil and water not mix? (n.d.). Let’s Talk Science.
https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/hands-on-activities/why-do-oil-and-
water-not-
mix#:~:text=Oil%20and%20water%20are%20two,between%20the%20two%20different
%20liquids.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers would like to thank God for giving them the wisdom, the guidance and
patience to undertake this project.

The researchers would also like to thank their families for the support both financially
and emotionally, giving the researcher all the materials needed for the success of the
study.

Lastly, the researchers would like to thank their Biochemistry Professor – for imparting
the knowledge to make this project and for the support in this study.