Determining Avogadro’s Number Through Using A Stearic Acid Solution

CHMY 141 – Intro to General Chemistry

 Objective
The objective of this experiment is to determine Avogadro’s number and the possible errors that
come from finding this number.

Procedure
Followed by CHMY 141 Laboratory Packet titled Determination of Avogadro’s Number
● Obtain 5 mL of pentane, a clean 10 mL graduated cylinder, and 1 Pasteur pipet
● Use pipet filled with pentane and count & record number of drops it take to fill graduated
cylinder to 1 mL mark
● Repeat to 2 mL mark (if drops off more than 5 drops, start over) and record drops
● Measure the diameter of petri dish
● Clean petri dish with soap and water
● Fill dish with deionized water until a visible mound is formed
● Fill a container with about 2 mL stearic acid solution and record concentration
● Use clean pipet for stearic acid solution
● Use pipet to drop stearic acid solution into the deionized water
● Wait 15 seconds for each drop to dissolve and record drops (if drops do not dissipate in
20 seconds or more, stop experiment)
● Repeat procedure three more times in clean petri dish

Data and Observations

Drops of Pentane Concentration of Diameter of Experiment 1 Experiment 2 Experiment 3
(drops/mL) stearic acid solution petri dish (cm) drops drops drops
(g/mL)

120 8.0x10^-5 8.6 30 36 28

The observations made were that the pentane evaporates while the stearic acid stays and forms
the monolayer.

Calculations and Results

Steps proceed in part III. Calculations in CHMY 141 Laboratory Packet titled
Determination of Avogadro’s Number
Experiment 1 (2 sigfigs)
1. 120 (drops/mL)
2. Average diameter = ​8.6 cm
3. A= π r²
A= π (4.3 cm)² = 18.49 π cm²
18.49 π cm² x (1x10^14 nm² / 1cm²)= ​5.8 x 10^15 nm²
4. N=A(1 molecule/ 0.21 nm²)
N = (5.809 x 10^15 nm²)(1 molecule/ 0.21 nm²) = ​2.8 x 10^16 molecules
5. V= 30 (drops) / 120 (drops/mL) = ​0.25 mL
6. m(g) = 0.25 (mL) x 8.0x10^-5 (g/mL) = ​2.0x10^-5 (g)
7. Moles (n)= 2.0x10^-5 (g) / 284 (g/mol) = ​7.0x10^-8 mol
8. 2.8x 10^16 molecules / 7.0x10^-8 mol = ​3.9x10^23 (molecules/mol)
Experiment 2
1-4 same as Experiment 1
5. V= 36 (drops) / 120 (drops/mL) = ​0.30 mL
6. m(g) = 0.30 (mL) x 8.0x10^-5 (g/mL) = ​2.4x10^-5 (g)
7. Moles (n)= 2.4x10^-5 (g) / 284 (g/mol) = ​8.5x10^-8 mol
8. 2.8x 10^16 molecules / 8.5x10^-8 mol = ​3.3x10^23 (molecules/mol)

Experiment 3
1-4 same Experiment 1
5. V= 28 (drops) / 120 (drops/mL) = ​0.23 mL
6. m(g) = 0.23 (mL) x 8.0x10^-5 (g/mL) = ​1.9x10^-5 (g)
7. Moles (n)= 1.9x10^-5 (g) / 284 (g/mol) = ​6.6x10^-8 mol
8. 2.8 x 10^16 molecules / 6.573x10^-8 mol = ​4.2x10^23 (molecules/mol)

9. Average value of Avogadro’s number

(3.9x10^23 + 3.3x10^23 + 4.2x10^23) / 3 = ​3.8x10^23 (molecules/mol)
10. Percent Error
(3.8x10^23 - 6.022x10^23) / 6.022x10^23 x 100% = ​-37.%

Analysis of Results
Based on the experiments above, our calculations were inconsistent with the accepted value of
Avogadro’s number. The accepted value is 6.022x10^23 molecules/mol. Our average value was
about half of the accepted value at 3.8x10^23 molecules/mol. The group percent error lead to be
-38.8%. The errors our group faced during this experiment were inconsistent drops out from the
pipet. Drops that are different sizes, dissipate at different times. Other errors were not having
enough distilled water in the petri dish provided. By not having enough water, multiple layers of
stearic acid formed, leading to false number of drops. A last possible error that could have been
made may have been counting the initial drops of pentane in the graduated cylinder. After three
failed experiments and some more calculations, the group came to a consensus that the number
of stearic acid solution drops should have been around 19.

Conclusion
The purpose of this experiment was to determine Avogadro’s number by using a stearic acid
solution. The use of a Pasteur pipet made it possible to count the number of drops of stearic acid
solution that was later calculated into finding this well-known number. The accepted value of
Avogadro’s number is 6.022x10^23 molecules/mol, which our calculations did not agree on.
While others had success on this experiment our data and calculations could ultimately not
determine Avogadro’s number.

Citations
Department of Chemistry. (2018, Fall). ​Introduction to General Chemistry Laboratory
​ ab titled Determination of Avogadro’s Number. Kalispell: Flathead Valley
Manual. L
Community College.