Extraction Report

CHE 311 "Extraction"

Your lab report should follow the format and consist of the following:

Title (be specific)

Your Name

Date

Section Number (CHE 311-0X)

1. Introduction:

Purpose of Experiment
Important theory and/or background material
Structures and/or reactions
Approproate references to literature (if necessary).

2. Methods / Materials: Usually a simple list, but make sure it is accurate and complete.

3. Experimental Procedure:

Describes the process in chronological order
Explain all of the steps in the order they actually happened, NOT as they were supposed to happen.
If you've done it correctly, another researcher should be able to duplicate your experiment.

4. Results and Discussion:

Results are usually dominated by calculations, tables and figures; however, you still need to state all significant results explicitly in verbal form.
Discussion focuses on a question of understanding, "what is the significance or meaning of the results?".

5. References and Post-Lab Questions:

a. A student made a mistake and did a single extraction with 120 ml of ether instead of three separate extractions with 40 mL of ether each time. How will his results be affected?

b. A student added anhydrous magnesium sulfate to his combined extracts and the magnesium sulfate dissolved. What error did the student make in the experiment? What should he do now?

c. During the second extraction, a student added ether to the layer in the separatory funnel and it did not separate. What mistake did the student make? What should he do now?

D. How pure do you think the propionic acid is that you recovered and how do you know?

E. If, in an extraction, you were uncertain about which layer was the aqueous layer and which layer was the organic layer, how could you quickly settle the issue?