Recrystallization is one way of isolating an ionic compound from a solution. If several ionic compounds are present in an aqueous solution, then a precipitation reaction may be performed to remove the unwanted ions. In this experiment, a known amount of NaCl will be dissolved in some water, and then recrystallized by boiling off the water.

To perform and master a recrystallization of an ionic compound

To write a procedure for a simple experiment

To calculate for percent error in an experiment

To understand how results affect percent error

To identify sources of error in experiments

By: Bryan Nguyen, Tracy Nguyen, and Petar Spasov

2. Add NaCl into the empty flask

3. Measure the mass of flask with NaCl

4. Measure 25 mL of water in a graduated cylinder

5. Pour salt and measured water into flask and stir

6. Pour dissolved salt into the beaker

7. Place the beaker onto the heating plate

8. Make observations on the beaker

9. Measure beaker with recrystallized NaCl

10. Calculate the percent error

4. Which ESLR or ESLR’s were  addressed in the activity? State the ESLR and explain why in a short paragraph.

3. If your percent error was negative, what logical sources of error might have been the cause? Explain. Answer this question regardless of what your results were.