Molecular Weight by Freezing

Point Depression
Emily Hart
Analise Nicholson
Kailash Raman
Mr. Lannen
November 21, 2014

The reason behind this experiment was to determine whether or not one could use the
freezing point of depression to solve for the molecular weight of the sodium chloride used. The
major result from this lab was the fact that there was a 99.99% error, and that for the group this
method was not successful. In science though this does not mean that the technique is wrong
though, which is discussed later on. The major conclusion that can be drawn from this
experiment was that the hypothesis was rejected.
The purpose of this lab was to determine the molecular weight of sodium chloride using
the freezing point depression technique. The hypothesis was using the freezing point of
depression to find the molecular weight of sodium chloride would be successful. There were no
harmful chemicals used in this lab but remember to always wear safety goggles whenever in the
lab and to wash hands afterwards.
Materials:

Test tube

Styrofoam cup

400 mL beaker

10 mL graduated cylinder

Distilled water

Ice

Table salt

Digital thermometer

Rock salt

Balance

Procedure:

Part 1: Freezing Point of Water

1. Get a clean dry test tube. Find the mass of the test tube with a balance. Put approximately
10 mL of distilled water in the test tube, then reweigh. Record the mass of the water in
the data table.
2. Make an ice bath in the Styrofoam cup using rock salt and ice. Take the temperature of
the water every 30 seconds until frozen; the entire sample does not need to be frozen.
Record the temperature at which the water froze.
3. DO NOT pour the water down the sink; this water will be used in part 2.
Part 2: Molecular Weight of the Unknown
1. Remove the test tube of frozen distilled water from the ice bath. Let the ice melt, this can
be quickened by placing the vial in room temperature tap water, make sure not to allow
any tap water in.
2. Measure approximately 2 g of sodium chloride. Record the exact mass in the data table.
Add the NaCl into the now liquid distilled water and stir until dissolved. Put the test tube
back in the ice bath then insert the thermometer.
3. Take temperature every 30 seconds again as in Part 1. Also remember the entire sample
does not need to be frozen in order to later find the freezing point. Record freezing point
in the data table.
4. Repeat Part 1 and 2 again.
Data:
Data table:
Trial 1
Mass, water: 12.2 g

Trail 2
Mass, water: 12.2 g

Tf water: -2.7 C

Tf water: -1.41 C

Mass NaCl: 2.27 g

Mass NaCl: 2.27 g

Tf solution: -8.0 C

Tf solution: -10.0 C

Time-Temperature Data:
Trial 1

Part 1

Time (sec)

Temperature (C)

21.9

30

7.9

60

3.7

90

1.3

120

-0.2

150

-1.5

180

-2.1

210

-2.7

Trial 1

Part 2

Time (sec)

Temperature (C)

21.2

30

11.8

60

5.7

90

2.1

120

-0.2

150

-1.9

180

-3/4

210

-4.3

240

-5.0

270

-5.6

300

-6.0

330

-6.2

360

-6.5

390

-6.6

420

-6.8

450

-7.1

480

-7.5

510

-7.4

540

-7.3

570

-7.2

600

-7.4

630

-7.6

660

7.8

690

-7.3

720

-7.5

750

-7.5

780

-7.6

810

-7.7

840

-7.8

870

-8.0

900

-8.1

930

-8.2

960

-8.2

990

-8.3

1020

-7.9

1050

-7.8

1080

-7.9

1110

-8.0

1140

-8.0

1170

-8.0

1200

-8.0

Trial 2

Part 1

Time (sec)

Temperature (C)

30

5.3

60

0.8

90

-0.1

120

-0.8

150

-1.1

180

-1.4

Trial 2

Part 2

Time (sec)

Temperature (C)

30

8.9

2.56

-0.9

90

-2.8

120

-4.9

150

-4.9

180

-6.1

210

-7.0

240

-7.7

270

-8.2

300

-8.2

330

-8.4

360

-8.6

390

-8.7

420

-7.6

450

-8.3

480

-8.4

510

-8.5

540

-9.0

570

-8.4

600

-8.4

630

-8.3

660

-8.2

690

-9.1

720

-9.9

750

-9.7

780

-9.6

810

-9.8

840

-10.0

Analysis:
1. Using the change in freezing point, the kilograms of water used, and the freezing point
constant for water, calculate the number of moles of sodium chloride used in each trial.
Tf = (mol solute/kg solvent) x Kf
(- -8.0C -10.0C)= (m/0.0122 kg H2O) x 1.86C/mol
2.0/1.86= (m/0.0122) x 1.86/1.86
0/0122 x 1.075= m/0.0122 x 0.0122
0.013/2= m
m=0.0065 mol NaCl
2. Using the mass of sodium chloride and the number of moles of NaCl, calculate the
molecular weight for each trial.
Trial 1:
0.0065 mol NaCl/2.27 g NaCl= 0.0029 g/mol NaCl

3. Calculate the average molecular weigh for sodium chloride and the percent error for the
trials.
1 mol NaCl/ 5835 g NaCl= %8.35 g/mol NaCl
Percent error= (measured accepted) / accepted x 100
(0.0029 g/mol NaCl 58.35 g/mol NaCl)/ 58.35 g/mol NaCl x 100
99.99% error
Discussion:
The experiment did not work because when trying to use the freezing point of depression
to find the molecular weight of sodium chloride was not successful. This may have been due to
the salt water not freezing completely and therefore that did not give accurate data. Also, this lab
was not fully completed, the group could only complete one trial and there were two trials
needed, so the data from the second trial were another groups data, which could also contribute
to this.
Since the purpose was to only use the freezing point of depression to find the molecular
weight of the sodium chloride technically yes, the purpose was fulfilled. Even if it was not
correct, the purpose of a lab is not to do everything perfectly so it seems the group was able to do
its job at least.
The calculations show that somewhere along the way the group messed up horribly, there
was a 99.9% error, which is evidence enough of that. They also show that water alone doesnt
take all that long to freeze while salt water takes much, much longer and has a higher freezing
point. The main theory behind this lab was, as stated before, that using the freezing point of
depression one can find the unknown molecular weight of the sodium chloride used.

In real life, not everything is going to work out perfectly, sometimes one only messes up
a little bit and other times, one can really screw something up. This lab is definitely an example
of this. It helps to show that yes, even though something has been proven to work maybe not
everyone will get those same results. That is what science is all about, trying until one succeeds.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the hypothesis the group came up with was rejected. That tells one that
since this method has been proven to work in other cases, something happened in this experiment
at the hands of the experimenters to cause this to become untrue, and it was they not the method
that was incorrect.
Questions:
1. What differences would be expected if a covalent compound such as urea were used
instead of sodium chloride?
It would be expected to have a lower freezing point and the freezing point of depression
would be much larger.
2. Why is it not necessary to wait for the entire sample of water to freeze in order to
determine its freezing point?
It is not necessary to wait for the entire sample of water to freeze to knows its freezing
point because the temperature from the time the first ice is formed to when the entire
sample becomes frozen will remain the same.
3. Why is it a good idea to measure the freezing point of the water instead of assuming that
its freezing point is exactly 0C?

Its good not to just assume one knows the freezing point of the water because there is not
anything in science that is definitely true, things can change at any time, also because one
should always have something to compare their results to.
4. What would have happened if a 4-gram sample of sodium chloride was used in this
experiment?
Well if one had used 4-grams of sodium chloride in this experiment it would not have
been able to dissolve completely in the 10-mL of distilled water, but maybe if it did it
would have taken twice as long to freeze than it did with 2-grams of sodium chloride.