Experiment

Freezing and Melting of Lauric Acid

15

Figure 1

MATERIALS
computer Vernier computer interface Logger Pro Temperature Probe 400 mL beaker ring stand utility clamp 18 150 mm test tube lauric acid benzoic acid thermometer

PROCEDURE
1. One student is responsible for setting up a 70 degree Celsius water bath, to be used later in Part 2. Use a 400 mL beaker filled with about 300 mL of tap water for the water bath. During part 1, this student will set up the water bath on the hot plate and monitor its temperature. 2. Check to see that the temperature probe is connected to the computer interface device. Plug the interface in to a power outlet, and then connect the interface to the computer via the USB wire. 3. Under the Start menu, go to Computer, T: drive, LoggerPro, Experiments, _Chemistry with Vernier, and then choose experiment 15. 4. When the experiment screen opens, right-click on the title of the graph, choose graph options, and then rename the title to Freezing and Melting Curves of Lauric Acid.
Part 1. Freezing Temperature of Pure Lauric Acid

5. Add about 300 mL of tap water with a temperature between 20 and 25C to a 400 mL beaker. Place the beaker on the base of the ring stand. 6. Use a utility clamp to obtain a test tube containing hot melted lauric acid from your teacher. Fasten the utility clamp at the top of the test tube. CAUTION: Be careful not to spill the hot lauric acid on yourself and do not touch the bottom of the test tube.
Chemistry with Computers

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Experiment 15 7. Insert the Temperature Probe into the hot lauric acid. Give the temperature probe about 30 seconds to warm up to the temperature of the hot lauric acid sample. During this 30 seconds, fasten the utility clamp to the ring stand so the test tube is above the water bath. When the temperature stops rising (watch the computer screen), click to begin data collection. 8. Lower the test tube into the water bath. Make sure the water level outside the test tube is higher than the lauric acid level inside the test tube. If the lauric acid is not above 60C when it enters the water bath, obtain another lauric acid sample and begin again. 9. With a very slight up and down motion of the Temperature Probe, continuously stir the lauric acid during the cooling. Hold the top of the probe and not its wire. Once the probe freezes in the sample, stop moving it up and down. 10. Continue with the experiment until data collection has stopped after 10 minutes. 11. To determine the freezing temperature of pure lauric acid, you need to determine the mean (or average) temperature in the portion of graph with nearly constant temperature. Move the mouse pointer to the beginning of the graphs flat part. Press the mouse button and hold it down as you drag across the flat part of the curve, selecting only the points in the plateau. Click on the Statistics button, . The mean temperature value for the selected data is listed in the statistics box on the graph. Record this value as the freezing temperature of lauric acid. Close the statistics box.
Part 2. Melting Temperature of Pure Lauric Acid

12. Store your data by choosing Store Latest Run from the Experiment menu. Hide the curve from your first run by clicking on the vertical axis label, choosing more, and then uncheck the Run 1 box. Click . 13. Raise the test tube out of the water bath, and carefully replace your cool water bath with the 70 degree hot water bath. Use beaker tongs to move the hot water bath keep it away from the computer! to begin data collection. Then lower the test tube into the hot water bath. 14. Click Again, make sure the entire sample is below the level of the water. Do not move the temperature probe during Part 2. 15. Continue with the experiment until data collection has stopped after 10 minutes. 16. To determine the melting temperature of pure lauric acid, you need to determine the mean (or average) temperature in the portion of graph with nearly constant temperature. Move the mouse pointer to the beginning of the graphs flat part. Press the mouse button and hold it down as you drag across the flat part of the curve, selecting only the points in the plateau. Click on the Statistics button, . The mean temperature value for the selected data is listed in the statistics box on the graph. Record this value as the melting temperature of lauric acid. Close the statistics box. 17. To print a graph of temperature vs. time showing both data runs: a. Click on the vertical-axis label of the graph. To display both temperature runs, click More, and check the Run 1 and Latest Temperature boxes. Click . b. Label both curves by choosing Text Annotation from the Insert menu, and typing Freezing Curve or Boiling Curve in the edit box. Then drag each box to a position on or near its respective curve. c. Print 4 copies of the graph. Your teacher will indicate which printer to choose.

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Chemistry with Computers