Should we mine this Ore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should we mine this Ore - Essay Example The amount of light that passed through the solutions to the photocells is used to determine the absorbance of each solution (Reynolds & Thompson 26). The equation of the standard curve is given by y =mx + b. Plotting a graph of absorbance against concentration for the standard solutions produces a curve that has a direct relationship with the equation of the standard curve (Bartlett 159). The direct relationship between concentration and absorbance for a solution is referred to as Beer’s law. Concentration of unknown compound can be determined from the graph by measuring its absorbance. Its absorbance is located on the x-axis of the graph, and its corresponding concentration is determined on the y-axis. Concentration of the unknown solutions can also be established from the slope of the Beer’s law curve (Bartlett 159). A blank solution was then prepared by filling the cuvette with distilled water to a volume of  ¾ full. Care was taken not to contaminate the cuvette while filling it. Spectrometer was then calibrated by placing a blank cuvette into the cuvette grove of the spectrometer (Reynolds & Thompson 160). In order to determine optimal wavelength for plotting this standard curve, 0.4 M standard solution was placed in the cuvette slot. The cuvette was then rinsed twice with 1 mL solution in Test Tube 1, and then refilled to  ¾ of its volume. The outside was wiped with a tissue paper and placed into the cuvette, and absorbance of the solution was measured (Bartlett 159). This process was repeated for solution 2-5 until their absorbances were obtained. The absorbance of each solution was recorded in the data table. The data recorded was used to draw a graph of absorbance Vs concentration. The concentration of Copper (II) sulfate was obtained from the graph by determining its corresponding rea ding on the y-axis. Among all the acids