Chemmicals and Chaos: Evaporation experiment

Evaporation Experiment

Aim: Our aim is to separate a mixture using evaporation copper sulfate.

Hypothesis: The hypothesis is that after boiling the copper sulfate we should be left with solids in which will technically be the solute of the mixture. The soluble solids in the mixture will be separated from the solvent after the evaporation process has been completed.

Equipment: Copper sulfate solution, 250mL Beaker, heatproof mat, evaporating basin, element. 

Method: 

• Set up element
• Add 50mL of hot water to the beaker and place on the element.
• Add copper sulfate to the evaporating basin until it is quarter full.
• Carefully, place the evaporating basin on top of the beaker. 
• Turn on the element to 8
• Heat the solution until most of the solvent has been evaporated and crystals of solute are forming. 
• Turn off the element- careful not to touch as will be hot for a long time.

Observations: 

Before: The water in the beaker is steady and is near the room temperature, the same can be said for the mixture.

During: During the process of evaporation,  the temperature has risen significantly. The began to boil and the mixture on the basin began to simmer. The gas released by the mixture has a smell that can be compared or described as burning plastic. The amount of liquid is slowly but surely beginning to lessen. 

After: Crystal can be seen left behind form the solution; the crystals otherwise known as the solute are formed. The smell of the evaporating gas has weakened, or have either gone; the warmer is slowly cooling as the heat is taken out.

Discussion:

As hypothesized above, the solution [copper sulfate] has separated and evaporated. The solvent of the mixture has evaporated and left behind the solute. The solute is the crystals that again, were left in the result of having been heated and evaporated. When the temperature of the mixture, in the beaker as well as in the basin. The particles in both the water and the solution, have greatly moved faster as the temperature rose. It then steadily kept the high temperature up until the mixture has fully evaporated.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the hypothesis of having the solution evaporated and the solute staying in the basin is correct. As we have experimented, many mixtures can be separated by using the same method. This not only occurs inside a laboratory, like what has taken place in this experimentation. But occurs natural environment as well, evaporation constantly reoccurs every second, the sun, ray of heat and energy hits the face of our oceans. That causes the water to evaporate, condense and later then precipitate and all over again. Evaporation is all around us, we just need to "stop and smell the roses" is what it takes to see.