Lab 2 Biochemistry
Experiment #:2.
Title:Organic intermolecular forces
and buffer preparation
Purpose:
The purpose of the experiment is to investigate the intermolecular forces in organic molecules
by comparing their flow and viscosity. We will learn the effect of intermolecular forces on
physical properties like viscosity and vapour pressure of organic molecules.
In second part we will learn how to make buffer and how to do buffer calculations. We will also
learn about properties of buffer systems.
Procedure:
Comparing the flow of materials
1. Placed a drop of water and a drop of glycerin on two different watch glasses.
2. Tilted the watch glasses so that drops began to flow.
3. Observed which drop flowed faster and which drop was resistant to flow. Recorded the
observations.
Effect of viscosity on intermolecular forces
1. Took a bulb pipette and used a marker to mark 4 cm distance.
2. Filled the pipette with pentane up to the mark. Then drained it out and recorded the time.
3. Took three measurements.
4. Repeated the procedure with 2-pentanone and 2-pentanol.
5. Repeated the procedure for heptane, decane and hexadecane. For each solution recorded
three observations. Took average of the observed time.
