CHEM 1701 – Lab 1

Density: A Characteristic Property

____/20 marks (5% of final grade)

Background
 The purpose of this lab is to perform a variety of density calculations for objects of different
mass and volume

Procedure & Observations

 Follow the procedure as laid out in Late Nite Labs
 When prompted to “Save Notes”, instead record your observations/notes in the space below

Notes
 Record all digits reported on the balance.
 Round all calculations according to the sig dig rules.

With questions adapted from:

Late Nite Labs - Density: A Characteristic Property

CHEM1701 – Lab 1: Density Page 1 of 6

Experiment 1: Density of Two Liquids – Water and Ethanol [1 mark per table = 4 marks]

Water

Mass (empty graduated cylinder) 54.000g A

Mass (graduated cylinder + 10.00mL water) 64.000g B
Mass (graduated cylinder + 20.00mL water) 74.000g C
Mass (graduated cylinder + 30.00mL water) 84.000g D

Data Analysis

Volume of Density of Water

Mass of Water
Water (Density = Mass/Volume)
10.000mL Mass of 10.000mL 10.000g 1.0000g/mL
(B – A)
20.000mL Mass of 20.000mL 20.000g 1.0000g/mL
(C – A)
30.000mL Mass of 30.000mL 30.000g 1.0000g/mL
(D – A)

Ethanol (C2H5OH)

Mass (empty graduated cylinder) 54.000g A

Mass (graduated cylinder + 10mL C2H5OH) 61.893g B
Mass (graduated cylinder + 20mL C2H5OH) 69.786g C
Mass (graduated cylinder + 30mL C2H5OH) 77.679g D

Data Analysis

Volume of Density of Ethanol

Mass of Ethanol
Ethanol (Density = Mass/Volume)
10.000mL Mass of 10.000mL 7.893g 0.789g/mL
(B – A)
20.000mL Mass of 20.000mL 15.786g 0.7893g/mL
(C – A)
30.000mL Mass of 30.000mL 23.679g 0.7893g/mL
(D – A)

CHEM1701 – Lab 1: Density Page 2 of 6

Experiment 2: Density of an Unknown Liquid [1 mark per table = 2 marks]

Unknown liquid

Mass (empty graduated cylinder) 54.000g A

Mass (graduated cylinder + 10mL unknown liquid) 65.100g B
Mass (graduated cylinder + 20mL unknown liquid) 76.200g C
Mass (graduated cylinder + 30mL unknown liquid) 87.300g D

Data Analysis

Volume of Density of Unknown

Mass of Unknown
Unknown (Density = Mass/Volume)
10.000mL Mass of 10.000mL 11.100g 1.1100g/mL
(B – A)
20.000mL Mass of 20.000mL 22.200g 1.1100g/mL
(C – A)
30.000mL Mass of 30.000mL 33.300g 1.1100g/mL
(D – A)

CHEM1701 – Lab 1: Density Page 3 of 6

Experiment 3: Density of Two Metals – Iron (Fe) and Aluminum (Al) [6 tables = 6 marks]

Iron
Initial mass (cylinder) 54.000g A
Initial volume (30.00mL water) 30.00mL B
Initial mass (cylinder + 30.00mL water) 84.000g C

5.000g Fe 10.000g Fe 15.000g Fe 20.000g Fe 25.000g Fe

Total volume 30.64mL 31.27mL 31.91mL 32.54mL 33.18mL
(water + Fe)
D E F G H

Total Mass Density of Fe

Volume of Fe
of Fe (Density = Mass/Volume)
5g Volume 5g 0.64mL 8g/mL
(D – B)
10g Volume 10g 1.27mL 8g/mL
(E – B)
15g Volume 15g 1.91mL 7.9g/mL
(F – B)
20g Volume 20g 2.54mL 8g/mL
(G – B)
25g Volume 25g 3.18mL 7.9g/mL
(H – B)

Aluminum
Initial mass (cylinder) 54.000g A
Initial volume (30.00mL water) 30.00mL B
Initial mass (cylinder + 30.00mL water) 84.000g C

5.000g Al 10.000g Al 15.000g Al 20.000g Al 25.000g Al

Total volume 31.85mL 33.70mL 35.56mL 37.41mL 39.26mL
(water + Al)
D E F G H

Total Mass Density of Al

Volume of Al
of Al (Density = Mass/Volume)
5g Volume 5g 1.85mL 3g/mL
(D – B)
10g Volume 10g 3.70mL 3g/mL
(E – B)
15g Volume 15g 5.56mL 2.7g/mL
(F – B)
20g Volume 20g 7.41mL 3g/mL
(G – B)
25g Volume 25g 9.26mL 2.7g/mL
(H – B)

CHEM1701 – Lab 1: Density Page 4 of 6

Experiment 4: Density of an Unknown Metal [4 tables = 4 marks]

Unknown Metal

Initial mass (cylinder) 54.000g A

Initial volume (30.00mL water) 30.00mL B
Initial mass (cylinder + 30.00mL water) 84.000g C

5.000g 10.000g 15.000g 20.000g 25.000g

Total volume
30.70mL 31.40mL 32.10mL 32.80mL 33.50mL
(water + unknown)
D E F G H

Density
Total Mass Volume
(Density = Mass/Volume)
5g Volume 5g 0.70mL 7g/mL
(D – B)
10g Volume 10g 1.40mL 7g/mL
(E – B)
15g Volume 15g 2.10mL 7.1g/mL
(F – B)
20g Volume 20g 2.80mL 7g/mL
(G – B)
25g Volume 25g 3.50mL 7.1g/mL
(H – B)

CHEM1701 – Lab 1: Density Page 5 of 6

Analysis [4 marks]
INSTRUCTIONS:
 Complete the following questions in the space provided
 Submit your work by the date and time indicated by your instructor

1) [1 mark] What is a meniscus? How do you read a concave meniscus? How do you read a convex
meniscus?

When a liquid is in a graduated cylinder, the surface of the liquid will curve and form a
meniscus. It will either curve up (concave) or down (convex). If it’s concave, you read it at
eye level at the low point in the middle. If it’s convex, you read it at eye level at the high point
in the middle.

2) [1 mark] How is water displacement used to measure the volume of an object?

Water displacement is used by measuring the initial volume of just water and then adding an
object to it and recording the new volume. You then deduct the initial volume of just the
water from the new volume to find out what the volume of the object is.

3) [1 mark] Given that the density of glycerol is 1.261 g/mL, how much will 15.00 mL of glycerol
weigh?

Mass = Density * Volume

1.261g/mL*15.00g= 18.92g
15.00mL of glycerol will weigh 18.92g.

4) [1 mark] Refer to the table below and your results from experiment 4. Given the density values for
the metals in the table, will the same volume of your unknown metal be lighter or heavier than
copper? Why?

Metal Density (g/cm3)

Zinc 7.13
Tin 7.28
Copper 8.96
Silver 10.49
Lead 11.36

The unknown metal’s density is about 7g/cm³, therefore it is lighter than copper which has a
density of 8.96g/cm³. For example, take 0.70mL of the unknown metal with its density of
7g/cm³. It comes out to a mass of about 5g. Then take copper with a volume of 0.70mL with
its density being 8.96g/cm³ and it comes out to a mass of about 6.27g therefore being
heavier than the unknown metal.

CHEM1701 – Lab 1: Density Page 6 of 6