Name___________________________
Experiment: Percent Composition of a Hydrate
The concept of % composition is often used to determine how many grams of an element
might be produced when a compound is decomposed, or how many grams of an element is
necessary to produce a given quantity of compound (in grams). By using the mole
relationship to get mass/number conversion factors, it is possible to determine the number
of moles of water present per mole of copper sulfate.
A. Experimental Considerations
In this experiment, you will be heating a hydrate of copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4 • nH2O) to
drive off the water. Masses are taken before heating to determine the mass of the original
sample (the hydrate) and after heating to determine the mass of copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4)
remaining. The difference between these two masses is equal to the mass of the water lost.
Heating time and temperature are critically important for this experiment. If not enough
heat is applied, some water will remain attached to the copper sulfate producing a low
calculated mass percent water for the hydrate. If too much heat is applied, the anhydrous
copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4), which has a grayish white color, can be decomposed to copper
(II) sulfide, a black colored compound.
B. Experimental Procedure
After you have washed the crucible and lid, use only tongs (not your hands) to handle them
1.Place a clean, empty crucible with lid in a clay triangle on a ring stand (as shown in diagram).
Tilt the lid so that it is slightly ajar, then heat strongly (bottom of crucible should turn red)
for about 3 minutes. Turn off the Bunsen burner, and use tongs to close the lid so that water
from the air does not get inside the dry crucible. Allow the crucible and lid to cool (this
should take 5 minutes). During the time you are cooling the crucible you can be working on
the Exercise questions at the end of this experiment.
2.Using tongs, transfer the crucible and lid (still closed) to a wire gauze and carry them to the
balance. It’s okay if you need to remove the lid momentarily to transfer the crucible & lid separately
to the wire gauze. Mass the crucible and lid (together) carefully to the nearest 0.01g and
record the mass in the Data Table provided.
3.Add approximately 2.5- 3.5g of the copper (II) sulfate hydrate to the crucible and mass the
crucible with the hydrate and the lid again to the nearest 0.01g. Record the mass in the Data
Table.
4.With the lid slightly ajar, heat the crucible gently (crucible should NOT glow red; use the top
of the outer flame, not the inner flame) for about 12 minutes. Turn off the Bunsen burner
and use tongs to close the lid. Allow the crucible with sample and closed lid to cool for 5
minutes, then mass to the nearest 0.01g, recording the mass in the Data Table. During the
time you are cooling the sample and crucible you can be working on the Exercise questions
at the end of this experiment.
Waste Disposal: Place compound remaining in your crucible in the jar labeled Copper Sulfate
Collection. Note the color of the solid closest to the crucible bottom: ____________
DATA TABLE.
1.Mass of empty, dry crucible and lid
(after heating & cooling)
2.Mass of lid, crucible and hydrate
(before heating the sample)
3.Mass of hydrate (original sample)
4.Mass of crucible, lid, and dehydrated sample:
after first heating & cooling
after second heating & cooling
after third heating & cooling (if needed)
final mass
5.Mass of the water driven off
6.Mass percent water in the hydrate
(show calculations below)
C. Analysis
1.How many moles of copper (II) sulfate (CuSO 4) did you have in your original sample? Hint:
Divide the FINAL mass of the heated sample by the molar mass of copper (II) sulfate.
2.How many moles of water did you have in your original sample? Hint: Divide the mass of
water driven off by the molar mass of water.
3.Examine the formula for the hydrate: CuSO4 • n H2O. Notice that “n” is “the molar ratio of
water to copper sulfate.” Find the numerical value for n in this sample (use your numbers
from part a above). Hint: what does “molar ratio of water to copper sulfate” mean? Write it as a
fraction – then solve it, since n = “the molar ratio of water to copper sulfate.”
4.The actual mass percent of water in the hydrated copper (II) sulfate compound should have
been 36.1%. Compare this value to the experimental percentage you obtained. Hint: how do
you quantitatively compare an experimental value to an “actual” value?
5.In the experiment involving hydrated copper sulfate, overheating causes a high calculated
percent value for water.
a. Why is the high reading obtained? Hint: Overheating causes copper (II) sulfate, CuSO4 to
turn into copper (II) sulfide, CuS.
b. What is lost from the CuSO4 in this process?
c. Where does it go?
6.What experimental evidence would you have to indicate you inadvertently overheated the hydrated
copper sulfate compound? Hint: Re-read the “Experimental Considerations” section.
D. Exercise Questions
7. Determine the percent composition of each element present in CaCO3.
8. Determine the mass percent Na in NaOH.
9. Calculate the mass percent water in MgSO4 • 2 H2O.
