University of Wisconsin Madison Graduated Cylinder Chemistry Lab Report

Introduction: Density is the ratio of mass to volume. Mass can be measured by using a scale or balance. Volume of a liquid and many solids can be measured by using a graduated cylinder. In Part A of this lab we are going to learn how to use a graduated cylinder correctly; in Part B we are going to learn how to measure the density of water and a solid.

Direction:

Part A: Using a graduated Cylinder

Watch the “Lab technique: Using a graduated cylinder” video below. The video demonstrates how to read the volume of a liquid correctly in a graduated cylinder. Notice how different the volume markings are on a 100-mL and a 10-mL graduated cylinder. Answer questions in lab report.Lab technique: Using a graduated cylinder (Links to an external site.)

Part B: Density measurements

Watch the video below carefully, pay attention to the steps taken to measure densities of different objects: liquids and solid, and write lab report based on the experiments presented in this video.

Density Measurements (Links to an external site.)

Lab Report

Density Measurements

Part A. Using a graduated cylinder (Refer to above video “Lab technique: using a graduated cylinder”)

1. What is a meniscus?

2. Report the volumes of liquids in the following practice problems. Label all volumes in milliliters (mL). Write your answers on the lines provided.

Ctrl + Click to view Practice problems (Links to an external site.)(opens in a new tab)

Your Answer:

a. __________ (report 1 decimal place)

b. __________ (report 1 decimal place)

c. __________ (report 2 decimal places)

d. __________ (report 1 decimal place)

3. In the last part of the video, it demonstrates how to measure the volume of a solid using graduated cylinder. This is called “volume displacement method”, and it’s an accurate and convenient way to measure a solid’s volume. Write a brief step-by-step instruction for the volume displacement method.

Step 1.

2.

3.

Part B. Density measurements (Refer to above video “Density measurements”)

1. Density of a liquid – water

a. Write a brief step-by-step instruction for measuring density of water.

b. Fill in the data table below by carefully recording the readings on the scale and graduated cylinder. You may need to pause the video several times to obtain the data. Always carry units in measurements.

Mass of empty graduated cylinder __________________ (4×0.5=2 pts)

Mass of water + graduated cylinder __________________

Mass of water ________________ (this needs to be calculated by you)

Volume of water _______________

c. Show calculation for density of water. Start with the density formula, show setup, report answer to correct sig. fig. and use proper units.

2. Density of a solid

a. Write a brief step-by-step instruction to measure the density of a solid in the video. Choose volume displacement when measure the volume of the solid.

b. Complete the partially filled data table.

Mass of solid _58.15 g___

Volume of water only __50.0 mL___

Volume of water + solid __57.2 mL___

Volume of solid ______________

c. Show calculation for density of the solid. Start with the density formula, show setup, report answer to correct sig. fig. and use proper units.