Chemistry of Recycling Abstract This Essay

Total Length: 764 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 0

Page 1 of 3

Recording of observations took place throughout.

Results

In the first reaction, after adding the KOH solution to the beaker with the clean aluminum strips, the solution turned to a dark purple color, almost appearing black at times. The aluminum clearly began to dissolve, when it was visible in the solution, and bubbles began to form on the surface of the solution. As the solution was allowed to cool following the reaction, the bubbles and the vapor given off by the mixture (causing the necessity for venting during this experiment) became far less apparent. Following the reaction and the proper carrying out of the filtration steps multiple times, the solids were removed from the reaction mixture and a colorless filtration mixture was left in the reaction beaker.

Adding 20mL of 6 M. sulfuric acid to the colorless filtration liquid caused the mixture to become cloudy and white, and solid precipitates began to form. These chunks were broken down and dissolved by the heat of the hotplate and the ongoing reaction taking place in the beaker, and by the end of the reaction the solution was clear and colorless. An ice bath was then prepared, and without the need of any nucleation sites being created by the researcher solid crystals began to form and precipitate out of the solution, falling to the bottom of the beaker.
The filter apparatus was again set-up and utilized to remove the crystals from the mixture, with the beaker being rinsed twice with 10mL of the 50% ethanol solution. The alum crystals were dried in this fashion as well, to allow for more accurate weighing of the crystals for analysis. The now cleaned-and-dried beaker was again weighed (104.3153g) and the alum crystals were then added to the beaker and the weight again obtained (109.1553g), with the difference (4.84g) being the weight of the alum crystals formed in the sequential reactions. Using the starting weight of the aluminum strips and the final weight of the alum crystals it is possible to determine the quantities of the reaction elements.

Conclusion

Reclycing aluminum is not as energy intensive as mining aluminum and can be achieved with fairly simple chemical reactions. This experiment demonstrated the ease of certain aluminum-based reactions with fairly standard lab equipment and chemicals. Alum….....

Need Help Writing Your Essay?