The Empirical formula of an oxide
Lubna Abdulkhaleiq
Oct/8/2015

Introduction: The purpose of this experiment is to determine the empirical formula of magnesium oxide from the results that you obtain by burning Magnesium.
We can calculate the empirical formula by combining the masses of magnesium and oxygen. Before combining the Mg with oxygen we will weigh it and we will also weigh the product of the reaction, Magnesium Oxide.
If magnesium is heated in open air, its reaction with oxygen is fast. We can slow down the reaction by limiting the supply of oxygen that reaches the magnesium; we do that by putting a cover on the crucible that contains the magnesium sample.

magnesium + oxygen → magnesium oxide (a)
2Mg(s) + O2(g)⇒ 2MgO(s) magnesium + nitrogen → …show more content…
Our accuracy was ok with a 9% error and % yield was 83.9%. In this lab we didn’t do two trials so we can’t know the precision. Opening of the lid was required to allow oxygen to enter the crucible, so as to react with the heated magnesium ribbon to form magnesium oxide.
Me and my lab partner opened the lid for too long and that could be one of the errors due to the loss of Mg. Other reasons might be that the Mg might not have fully reacted, Not letting the crucible cool down properly, and/or because we got product on the stirring metal rod which is loss of product.
The Magnesium was just like a regular metal ribbon, when we heated it, it became like ash and the color changed from silver to grayish white. When we opened the lid after every like 1 min or so the magnesium glowed a bright white color. It also took a long time for it to become like ash. It was fascinating how by only heating the magnesium and it reacting with oxygen could make it glow. magnesium oxide has many uses one of them is to treat the paper in books, as it neutralises the traces of acid that might otherwise rot the