Freezing point of Napthalene

Freezing Point of Naphthalene I.         Purpose         To determine the freezing point of a known substance, naphthalene II.         Materials         ringstand                                    gas source         test tube                                    test tube clamps         thermometer                                    naphthalene         Bunsen burner                                    goggles         hose                                             stopwatch III.         Procedure         1.         Assemble the Bunsen burner, attaching one end of the hose to the burner and the                  other to a gas source.         2.         Assemble the ring stand so that a ring clamp is attached to the stand holding the                  test tube that will …

…found the experimental freezing point of naphthalene to be around 79oC. This results in 1.4% error when compared to the actual value for the freezing point of naphthalene, 80.1oC. Considering the impurities in the consumer grade naphthalene, the interference of outside air on the temperature of the test tube and its contents, and the inaccuracy of 1/10 measurements on a thermometer graduated by whole numbers, the error we accquired in this lab was minimal and easily explained.