Empirical Formula Lab

Purpose: To find the Empirical Formula for magnesium oxide. 

Procedure: 

1. Wash out the crucible and dry completely using a Bunsen burner.

2. Weigh the crucible. 

3. Crumple 2 inches of magnesium ribbon and place in crucible.

4. Weigh the crucible plus the ribbon

5. Heat magnesium in crucible until competely burned.

6. Cool.

7. Weigh crucible plus burned magnesium. 

Calculations:

Mass of Crucible- 19.5656g

Mass of Crucible with Magnesium- 19.7415g

Initial mass of Magnesium- .1759g

Mass of Magnesium- .1759g

Mass of Oxygen- 

Mole of Magnesium-7.33x10^-3 moles

Mole of Oxygen-

Ratio of Magnesium to Oxygen in moles- 

% Error = true-observed/ true * 100

Calculations:

.1759g(1mol/24g)= 0.00733 moles