Name _____________________________________
Al
+
(solid aluminum)
HCl
( hydrochloric acid )

AlCl3
(aqueous aluminum chloride)
+
H2
( hydrogen gas)
1. A student is given a piece of aluminum. The student places the piece of
aluminum on the balance and finds it has a mass of 0.85 grams.
2. The student finds the mass of an empty beaker to be 65.36 grams.
3. The student places the piece of aluminum in the beaker and adds plenty of acid.
4. The student observes bubbles of gas coming off the piece of aluminum until the
aluminum is completely dissolved in the acid.
5. The student places the beaker on a hot plate in a fume hood and boils off the acid.
There is a white, crusty solid remaining in the beaker.
6. After the beaker cools, the student places the beaker with the white, crusty solid
on the balance and finds it has a mass of 69.24 grams.
molar mass of Al = 26.98 g/mol, molar mass of H = 1.008 g/mol,
molar mass of Cl = 35.45 g/mol
1.
Balance the equation at the top of this page.
2.
Assuming the reaction goes to completion, what mass of aluminum chloride
should, in theory, be produced? Show all work!
3.
What mass of aluminum chloride was actually produced? Show all work!
4. What might account for the difference between the actual and theoretical yield?