Hydrate Lab

The lab in which we conducted last Tuesday was an analysis of a hydrate and what happens to it when it is heated. A hydrate is a crystalline compound which water molecules are chemically bound to it. In the lab, we were to analyze the difference in grams of the hydrate and the anhydrate. An anhydrate is the crystalline compound without the water molecules bound to it. During our lab, we were to heat up the crucible, the crucible with hydrate, and the crucible with an anhydrous and write down each weight, then repeat. Once we completed that task then we were to find the number of moles of water lost, the number of moles of anhydrous copper sulfate, percent comp of water in the hydrated copper sulfate, the mole ratio of moles of water and moles of anhydrous copper sulfate. Once this is all done, we found our percent error and compared it to the exact value. In the lab, we used the following tools: lab apron, lab goggles, clay triangle, bunsen burner, ring stand, flint striker, electronic weight, crucible, crucible tongs, scoopula, gas line, beaker, copper (II) sulfate, and paper towels. To begin I took a paper towel and made a cushion on my hand to place the crucible in so that it did not touch my hand. I did this so that the oils in my skin did not absorb into the crucible. Then I proceeded to grab another paper towel and wipe the inside of the crucible to make sure there
One is that when a hydrate is heated up, it will change colors indicating that there is a reaction occurring. Also, that the color change is a physical change since the anhydrous Copper (II) Sulfate could be hydrated again by adding water. When the water is added back to the compound, heat is released and it sizzles as it re-hydrates. Another thing I learned was that you could evaporate the water in a compound to make it an anhydrous compound. Lastly that the hydrate is chemically bound to the Copper (II) Sulfate, but it can be separated with