Carbon is 4 ever - Mission 3 Introduction

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Experiment: To Prepare a Sample of Ethanal

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Equipment: Agents:

Clamp Stand Sodium dichromate

Tripod stand Sulphuric acid

Wire gauze Ethanol

Conical Flask

Liebig Condenser

Thistle Funnel

Pear shaped flask

Bunsen Burner

Clips

Safety Goggles

Method:
Prepare a solution of 10g of Sodium dichromate in 20cm³ of water and place in the pear shaped flask.

Set up apparatus as shown.

CAREFULLY mix 5cm³ of concentrated sulphuric acid with 10cm³ of ethanol in a small conical flask. This reaction is severely exothermic, cool as required. Place in the thistle funnel.

Heat the pear shaped flask until the dichromate solution is ALMOST boiling and remove the bunsen burner. Add the acidified ethanol drop by drop.

Distil the resulting vapour off until about 10 cm³ has been collected. By now practically all of the ethanal will have been distilled off.

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