What This Document Is
This is a fourth lab report completed for General Chemistry Lab I (CHEM 101301) at Boston College, submitted by Eric Echeandia to Professor Qingmei Cheng on October 11, 2016. The report details an experiment focused on the synthesis of alum from scrap aluminum. It presents experimental results, calculations, and answers to post-lab questions.
Why This Document Matters
This report is intended for the instructor to assess a student’s understanding of the experimental procedure, data analysis skills, and ability to interpret chemical observations. It serves as a record of the student’s work and a demonstration of their grasp of concepts related to stoichiometry, chemical reactions, and qualitative analysis. It’s a key component of the course grade.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This document represents a single student’s work and may contain errors or variations in interpretation. It is not a comprehensive guide to the experiment, nor is it a substitute for attending the lab session or consulting the course textbook.
What This Document Provides
The full report includes: calculated theoretical yield and percent yield of alum, a comparison of alum mass to initial aluminum mass, observations from chemical tests (litmus paper, barium chloride), flame test results and interpretation, observations from the reaction of alum with potassium hydroxide, a chemical equation for the reaction of aluminum hydroxide with KOH, and a cost analysis comparing the price of making alum versus purchasing it. This preview only describes the document’s contents; the actual calculations, observations, and answers are not included here.