Required Practical: Cooling Curves Flashcards
What is the objective of the required practical activity concerning cooling curves?
The objective is to investigate the cooling curve of stearic acid.
What materials are required for the cooling curve experiment?
Materials include:
a boiling tube
thermometer (0-100 °C)
beaker (250 cm³)
stopwatch
stand, boss
clamp
Bunsen burner
tripod
gauze
safety goggles.
What is stearic acid, and what is its melting point?
Stearic acid, or octadecanoic acid, is a waxy solid at room temperature with a melting point of approximately 70°C.
Describe the method for conducting the cooling curve experiment.
The method involves clamping the boiling tube with stearic acid onto a lab stand, heating water in a beaker using a Bunsen burner, melting the stearic acid in the boiling water, recording temperature at regular intervals as it cools, and plotting a graph of the results.
What precautions should be taken during the cooling curve experiment?
Safety goggles must be worn throughout the experiment, and caution should be exercised when handling hot equipment. Additionally, the thermometer should not be pulled out of the solidified stearic acid when finished.
