Have you been searching for environmentally friendly chemistry experiments to use in your high school laboratory? This stoichiometry experiment replaces a conventional aluminum to alum lab by using sodium carbonate and calcium chloride to demonstrate how the precipitation concept occurs. Young chemists also demonstrate proper titrations and balance chemical equations during the process.

Concepts

stoichiometry, chemical compounds, chemical equations, titration, calcium carbonate, chemical reactions, conservation of mass

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Additional Tags

science

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Classroom Considerations

• Calcium chloride (CaCl2) and sodium carbonate (NaCO3) are both skin irritants; practice proper safety precautions
• Lesson presumes pupils have prior knowledge of balancing equations and general stoichiometric principles 

Pros

• Minimal teacher preparation is involved for experiment
• Experiment is "greener" than historical versions using aluminum and alum to demonstrate stoichiometric principles

Cons

• None