An Experimental Approach to the Precipitation Reaction of Basic Zinc Carbonate

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 10 Issue 6 (2005) pp 440-443

An Experimental Approach to the Precipitation Reaction of Basic Zinc Carbonate

Nobuyoshi Koga,* Yoshinobu Matsuda, and Haruhiko Tanaka

Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Science Education, Graduate School of Education, Hiroshima University, 1-1-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8524, Japan, nkoga@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Received June 21, 2005. Accepted Sept 22, 2005.

Published online: 9 Novenber 2005

Abstract. An investigative approach to the stoichiometry of the precipitation reaction of basic zinc carbonate is proposed as a suitable laboratory activity for an advanced chemistry course at secondary schools and for an introductory chemistry experiment at universities and colleges. Practical experimental procedures of the students’ activity are described together with several complementary data of instrumental analyses to support the interpretation of the experimental results. The present experimental approach can be utilized as an investigative students’ activity for the following two reasons: first, students are not familiar with the formula of basic zinc carbonate, and, second, the composition of the precipitated basic zinc carbonate can not be deduced directly from the stoichiometry of pH titration for the precipitation reaction.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; general chemistry; basic zinc carbonate; pH titration; reaction stoichiometry; precipitation reaction; thermal decomposition

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: nkoga@hiroshima-u.ac.jp)

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