Dilutions and Spectral Properties of Solutions
Initial Publication Date: June 6, 2013
Summary
The purpose of this week's lab is to
- prepare calibration standards
- use a UV-Vis spectrometer to determine the spectral peaks for several dye solutions, and create a calibration curve
- calculate how much of each single-element standard solution is needed to make a multi-element stock solution
- prepare calibration standards
- use a UV-Vis spectrometer to determine the spectral peaks for several dye solutions, and create a calibration curve
- calculate how much of each single-element standard solution is needed to make a multi-element stock solution
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Context
Audience
upper level environmental geochemistry course
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
unit conversions, density of solutions, calculating concentrations of solutions created from diluting a stock solution (e.g., C1V1=C2V2), calibration curve
How the activity is situated in the course
This lab activity is assigned a few weeks into the course but before geochemical analysis using an ICP-OES.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
The content goals of this activity include:
-calibration standards and calibration curves
-spectral peaks of different solutions with different analytes
-serial dilutions
-calibration standards and calibration curves
-spectral peaks of different solutions with different analytes
-serial dilutions
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
High order thinking skills goals include:
-develop and apply calibration curves in order to determine the unknown concentration of an analyte in a sample
-evaluate the correctness of a calibration curve
-reinforce students' ability to accurately calculate concentrations of solutions made from more concentrated solutions
-develop and apply calibration curves in order to determine the unknown concentration of an analyte in a sample
-evaluate the correctness of a calibration curve
-reinforce students' ability to accurately calculate concentrations of solutions made from more concentrated solutions
Other skills goals for this activity
Other goals include:
-operating analytical equipment
-accurately pipetting solutions to make dilutions
-working in small groups
-operating analytical equipment
-accurately pipetting solutions to make dilutions
-working in small groups
Description and Teaching Materials
Materials needed:
file "Dilutions and Spectral Properties of Solutions"
Teaching Notes and Tips
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Assessment
The total number of points for this assignment is 100. The number of points assigned to each question is listed next to the question in the handout.