SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines

Name: Course & Year: Score:

Activity ____
COMMON LABORATORY TECHNIQUES & OPERATIONS

Since chemistry is considered as an experimental science, the students’ skills and techniques in the
laboratory is of great value. These science process skills acquired by each student will not only help
them in obtaining accurate and precise results in each laboratory activity but also will give them
proper skills and values like objectivity, honesty, and competency in carrying out assigned task.

Objectives:
This activity should enable you to:
(1) learn basic techniques in handling solid and liquid substances.
(2) measure substances using the laboratory balance and the graduated cylinder.
(3) perform common laboratory operations like precipitation, filtration,
decantation, and evaporation.

Procedure:

The Use of the Laboratory Balance

(1) Place a beaker on the left pan of the balance and get the mass. Pour 100 mL of water into the
beaker and get its mass again. Record your observation below. If the density is the mass
divided by the volume, what is the density of water in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm 3 ).

Data and Observation:

Mass of beaker and water = ______ g Mass of 100 mL of water = _____ g

What would be the mass of 100 cc of HCl if the HCl has a density of 1.2 g/mL?
____________________________________________________________________

The Use of the Graduated Cylinder

(2) Add water to the graduated cylinder until the lower part of the curved called the meniscus,
read 5 mL. Pour this water into one of your test tube and mark the upper level of the water.
Measure the height of the 5 mL of water inside the test tube in centimeter (cm). Add more
5 mL of water and mark the upper level and get again the height in centimeter. Remember the
approximate amount to be used when an experiment calls for 5 or 10 mL of liquid. It is also
convenient to know how much of the lower curved portion of the test tube is required to hold
1 mL. Try it.

1|Page
 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES
CENTER FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

Determine the total capacity of your test tube, beaker, and evaporating dish.

Data and Observation:

Height of 5 mL water in test tube = __________ cm

What are the advantages for estimating the volumes of common laboratory vessels in mL?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Pouring and Transferring Liquid Substances

(2) In transferring liquids from one vessel to another, you must see to it that the liquid does not
run down the side of the receiving vessel. Often, it is advantageous to use a stirring rod.
Fill a beaker with water. Transfer the water into another beaker by pouring it down the
side of a glass rod having its lower end resting against the wall of the receiving flask.

What is the purpose of using a stirring rod when pouring or transferring liquid substances?
___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Heating Liquid Substances in a Test Tube

(3) Half fill the test tube with water and grasp it with a test tube holder at the middle part. Boil the
water by holding the test tube at an angle of 45 o, passing it back and forth over the blue flame.
In heating liquids be cautious that no contents of the test tube are thrown out. Never direct the
test tube to anybody.

Why do we need to incline the test tube at a 45o angle moving it back and forth over the flame?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Precipitation

(4) Place 20 mL of NaCl solution in a test tube and slowly add 10 ml of AgNO 3 solution then shake
gently. The insoluble solid substance that was formed is called precipitate. Allow the mixture
to stand for a few minutes then add few drops of AgNO 3 solution. If you observe the formation
of more precipitate, it indicates that the precipitation is complete. Divide the mixture into two
equal parts and reserve the mixture for the part 5 and 6.

What is the color of the precipitate? _______________________________________________________

2|Page
 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES
CENTER FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

Decantation

(5) This is a simple process of separating a finely divided solid suspended in liquid medium.
This method is done by allowing the solid material to settle down then pouring off the liquid
into another container. Decantation can be used only when the solid is heavy and readily
settles down in the liquid. Get the one part of the mixture in part 4. Allow the solid to settle
then decant the liquid.

What do you call the clear liquid that is poured off? ___________________________________________
What do you call the solid material left in your beaker after decantation? __________________________

Filtration

(6) Prepare the set up for filtration by placing a funnel on an iron stand with iron ring. Put the
beaker at the base of iron stand right above the end of the funnel. If an iron stand and iron
ring are not available, a tripod can be used. Prepare a filter paper by folding it crosswise two
times in such a way that it will create a crease with four divisions. Moistened the sides of the
filter paper then place it into the funnel.

Get the other mixture in part 4 and separate the components of the mixture by filtration. Pour the
mixture into the filter paper with the aid of the stirring rod. Reserve the liquid that passes through
the filter paper for the next part.

What do you call the clear liquid that passes through the filter paper? ____________________________
What is do you call the solid insoluble material left in your filter paper? __________________________

Evaporation

7) The salt may be recovered from the liquid in part 6 by the process of evaporation. To
perform this operation, pour the liquid obtained in part 6 to an evaporating dish. The
evaporating dish should rest on wire gauze supported on an iron ring which is clamped to
an iron stand. You may use your tripod instead of iron ring and wire gauze. Heat gently to
prevent the liquid to boil violently. Withdraw the flame as soon as the water has
evaporated.

Describe the residue that was left in your evaporating dish after evaporation?

3|Page
 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES
CENTER FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

Draw and label the parts of the set up for the following operations:

Precipitation Set up Filtration Set up Decantation Set up

Generalization:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4|Page
 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES
CENTER FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

5|Page
 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES
CENTER FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

6|Page