Simon
Jorden
Jesus
Limiting Reactants: Copper (II) Chloride and Aluminum
Abstract:
The purpose for creating this lab was to see the chemical reaction between Copper (II)
Chloride and Aluminum. Our method of completing this lab was we took Copper (II) Chloride
and Aluminum and we mixed them together to see what our result would be. We found out that
the reactants turned a brown copper color and most of the aluminum was gone in the reaction.
In our experiment we found out that our product was Aluminum Chloride and Copper. The
percentage yield of our product in this experiment was 88.9%. We concluded that our
hypothesis wasn’t fully right because we thought that the final product would be rust but the
actual product was Aluminum Chloride and Copper.
Introduction:
In this experiment we have to find out what would happen in the reaction of Copper (II)
Chloride and Aluminum. Through research that we were able to hypothesize that the product of
this chemical reaction would be rust. The aluminum would rust when coming in contact with the
Copper (II) Chloride. “If we react these two substances, then the product will produce rust” We
think that our product would be rust because we guess that aluminum would rust when being
exposed to a liquid chemical.
Our first reactant Copper (II) Chloride is used as a catalyst for organic and inorganic
reactions, mordant for dyeing and printing textiles, pigment for glass and ceramics, wood
preservative, disinfectant, insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide, and as a catalyst in the
production of chlorine from hydrogen chloride. Copper (II) Chloride is highly soluble in water
and will produce a blue solution, but when concentrated the CuCl2 aqueous solution will turn
dark green. Our second reactant Aluminum. Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the
earth's crust and the third most element in the earth's crust, after oxygen and silicon. Aluminum
is too reactive to be found pure. Aluminum metal is in: Transportation (automobiles, aircraft,
trucks, railway cars, marine vessels, bicycles, etc.) as sheet, tube, castings, etc. Packaging (cans,
foil, frame of etc.) Construction (windows, doors, siding, building wire, etc.).
Data:
1.
Grams of Copper (II) Chloride:
Molarity = moles/liters solution
0.500 M = mol/0.005 L
Mol = .015 mol CuCl2 134.45g= 2.016g CuCl2
1 mol
2.
Mass of filter paper: 0.67 g
3.
Grams of Aluminum: 0.19g
4.
Observations of Reactants and Products
Before
-Liquid is clear and blue
-Aluminum foil is a silver color, and
lustrous
5.
After
-Liquid is a dark green color
-Foil is now a brown color and
dissolved
-Foil has holes in it
-Can feel heat by touching the 50 mL
beaker
Observations of filtered precipitate
-The solid is now a flakey material with a brownish color
-The filter paper is stained with green and yellow color
-Some lustrous aluminum remains
6.
Mass of precipitate and filter paper = 1.77g
Results:
1.
Mass of solid:
1.77g-0.67g=1.10g
2.
Balanced equation:
3CuCl2 + 2Al → 2AlCl3 + 3Cu
3.
Limiting Reactant:
3CuCl2 + 2Al → 2AlCl3 + 3Cu
Molar Masses
Givens
CuCl2 = 134g
2.02g of CuCl2
Al = 27.0g
0.19g of Al
AlCl3 = 133g
Cu = 63.6g
Al is the limiting reactant
4.
Percent Yield:
5.
Type of Reaction:
Single Displacement
Discussion:
The purpose for conducting this experiment was to find out the true chemical reaction of
Copper (II) Chloride and Aluminum. Our method of conducting this experiment was that we
used lab materials that we were given in class to do the process of the experiment. Our result
was that the final substance of the product was a brownish copper. The chemical formula for our
product was Aluminum Chloride and Copper. Error in our experiment could have happened as
we transitioned things during the lab. We can conclude that our hypothesis was not truly correct
but we were on the right thought process.
Acknowledgement:
We would like to acknowledge our teacher Mrs. Galster for helping us learn about
chemical reaction. She provided us with the knowledge and understanding to complete this
project. Mrs. Galster also provided us with the materials to conduct this experiment. She is an
amazing teacher! We would also like to thank our parents for helping us come to school every
day to get a good education. Lastly we would like to thank God for giving us the power and
control to do this experiment.
Citations:
"Amazing Rust.com - CuCl2." Amazing Rust.com - CuCl2. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.amazingrust.com/Experiments/background_knowledge/CuCl2.html>.
"GCSE CHEMISTRY - Properties and Uses of Aluminium - GCSE SCIENCE."GCSE
CHEMISTRY - Properties and Uses of Aluminium - GCSE SCIENCE.N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb.
2015. <http://www.gcsescience.com/ex16.htm>.
"Uses of Aluminium." Rio Tinto Alcan -. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.riotintoalcan.com/ENG/ourproducts/1542_aluminium_and_its_uses.asp>.