Objectives

1) To determine the origin of the colour of a soft drink sample from its absorption
spectrum.
2) To determine the wavelength at maximum absorbance for a soft drink sample.
3) To determine the unknown concentration of a soft drink from the calibration
curve.

Introduction

Spectroscopy is the study of the relationship and interaction between

electromagnetic radiation and matter. Spectroscopic techniques is one of the
technique that is mainly used nowadays. Infrared, visible light, UV and X-ray
are some of the example of electromagnetic radiation and can be used to interact with
matter. The interaction between light and matter to probe chemical structure are one
of chemical analysis that are important in instrumental method. White light is
light that is visible and consist of all colour component of rainbow. When white light hits
a coloured solution, electron in the solution will absorb some of the light, the other will
be transmitted through the solution that results in the light that can be seen by our eye.

To measure the concentration of dilute solutions, one of the most accurate and
convenient way by using calorimetry or absorption spectrophotometry.
Absorption spectrophotometry is a widely used technique in analytical chemistry
based on the property of molecules to absorb light at specific wavelengths. Based on
the techniques, the amount of light energy a solution absorbs from a beam of light on
a particular wavelength will be measure. The colour of the aqueous solution results
from the absorption of certain wavelengths of white light falling on the solution. The
colour depends on the structure of the solute as water is transparent.
The wavelength of maximum absorption is designated as lambda max and
is characteristic of the material absorbing the light. The DR 2800 will be used in this
experiment instead of spectonic 20. The Hach Lange DR2800 is a visible light
spectrophotometer with pre-programmed Hach Lange test methods, and the ability
for users to input their own test methods, allowing flexibility(www.edie.net). With the
visible absorption measurement, qualitative analysis to determine the wavelength of
maximum absorbance from the absorption spectrum as well as absorptivity value of a
specific molecule and quantitative analysis to determine the concentration of
unknown solution from standard calibration curve can be done.

Apparatus

Beaker, Pipet, glass rod, Volumetric flask (25 mL)

Chemicals

A can of carbonated drink (red)

Procedure

A. Preparation of “standard “ solutions of soft drink of (known concentration).

1. Soft drink was pour into a beaker and strirred to remove the carbonation.
2. 5 mL of soft drinks then pipet and pour into 50 mL volumetric flask and was
diluted up to mark by using distilled water. The volumetric then cover
and shaken and homogeneous solution was form. The solution the poured
into small beaker.
3. Step 2 was repeated by replacing the 5 mL soft drinks with 10 mL,15 mL, 20 mL
and 25 mL of soft drink.

B. Operation of the Spectronic 20 and determination of λmax.

1. The Spectronic 20 was turned on and warmed up for about 15 minutes.

2. The wavelength was set to 600 nm.
3. The transmittance was adjusted to 0%.
4. Cuvette was obtained, cleaned and rinsed by using distilled water and then filled
until the mark or roughly about ¾ full with blank solution. Kimwipe was then used
to wipe away any impurities on its surface.
 5. 0 absorbance and 100% transmittance was adjusted with the cuvette
containing the blank in the sample holder. The cuvette the removed and set
aside without even emptying the distilled water.
6. Another cuvette were cleaned and rinsed with small amount of the standard soft
drink that the absorbance was going to be measured. Then, the cuvette were
filled with ¾ full with the solution and cleaned by using kimwipe. It then palced
on the sample holder. The absorbance were read and recorded.
7. The cuvette were removed, the top closed and the wavelength were change to
a setting which is 20 nm lower.
8. The 0% transmittance was reset.
9. The cuvette containing distilled water were inserted and was reset to 100 % T.
The cuvette the removed,
10.The cuvette containing same soft drink solution in step 6 was inserted.
11.The absorbance were read and recorded in table 1.2.
12.Step 8 until 11 was repeated until 360 nm.. The absorbance were taken
at each 20 nm intervals.
13.By using the graph paper, the absorption spectrum of the soft drink
were
plotted and λmax was determined.

C. Preparation of Unknown soft drink sample

The unknown soft drink sample was prepared by the lab assistant by using
small amount of soft drink that we used.

D. Quantitative analysis of the Soft drink solution.

1. The Spectronic 20 was setted to the λmax obtained from part B which is 520
nm.
2. 0 and 100%T was set.
3. The absorbance of each 5 standard soft drink solution was measured and
recorded.
4. The absorbance of the unknown soft drink solution was also measured and
recorded.

E. Cleaning Up

The waste was poured down the drain and all the apparatus used were cleaned.
Results and Data

Wavelength (nm) Absorbance

600 0.032
580 0.208
560 0.553
540 0.753
520 0.870
500 0.790
480 0.609
460 0.384
440 0.244
420 0.201
400 0.196
380 0.177
360 0.178

Table 1.2: The wavelength and absorbance of soft drink.

Λmax = 520 nm

Solutions Concentration (Volume Absorbance

%

1 10 0.181
2 20 0.350
3 30 0.527
4 40 0.700
5 50 0.874
Unknown sample ? 0.273

Table 1.3 : Table of soft drink concentration (volume %) and absorbance.

 Calculations

Sample calculation for the concentration of solution 2:

10 mL x 100 % = 20 %
50 mL

Concentration of unknown: 15 %

Question

1) Based on Beer’s Law, when the concentration of any analyte increases, how will the
following be affected (increase, decrease, no change)?

I. Absorbance

As A=abc thus, it will also increase

II. b) Transmittance

As A= - log T, thus it will decrease

2) Why is it important to first obtain the absorption spectrum of the soft drink before
making calibration curve?

The importance of obtaining the absorption spectrum before making the calibration
curve is generally we will select the wavelength of maximum absorbance for a given
sample and use it in our absorbance measurements.

3) What is the purpose of using blank solution?

A blank solution is a solution containing little to no analyte of interest, it is usually

used to calibrate instruments in this case the Spectronic 20.

4) What colour is being absorb in your soft drink?

Based on the lambda max, the colour absorb by our soft drink is blue-green.
Discussion

For this experiment, initially for our group we supposly to be determining the
absorbance for blue soft drinks. However, the solution gave an unrealistic results
that turn out to be ununiformly increase and decrease drastically for the reading of the
data. Then we changed the soft drink with another canned carbonated drinks.

Based on the results, the reading of the absorbance were relatively increasing from
360 nm with 0.178 until it reach the peak which is at 520 nm with 0.870. After 520 nm,
the absorbance reading relatively decreasing. Based on the data obtained, the
wavelength of the maximum absorbance turn out to be 520 nm. Based on the diagram
indicating the wavelength regions and the corresponding colours of visble light, the
absorbed colour is at blue green range. Thus, based on the graph, the origin of the soft
drink that we gain turn out to be blue and green.

For the reading of the soft drink concentration versus absorbance, the reading of the
absorbance keep increase propotionally with the concentration. As the
concentration of the soft drink increase, so does the absorbance. As the plotted
graph, the concentration is directly propotional to the absorbance.

For the concentration of solution 2, to get the formula of A=£bc is used and to get the
c or the concentration the £ is gain by using the gradient of the graph that turn out to
be 0.67. Based on the absorbance gain in the data sheet, at 520 nm which is the
maximum absorbance, the absorbance turn out to be 0.870. By substituting all data
inside the formula, then we gain the concentration of solution 2 to be 0.0139 M.
Meanwhile for the concentration of the unknown solution can be detrermine by
drawing line on the absorbance reading which is at 0.273 and thus based on
the plotted graph the concentration of it turn out to be 15 M.

During the experiment, a few precaution were taken to minimized any error that
might present on collecting the data. First, before using the pipet we rinse it by using
some of the soft drink to remove any other impurities that might present on the
glassware. when pipet the carbonated drinks, the eye were ensure to be parallel with
the reading needed. Then, when diluting the soft drink, the distilled water were
ensure to be not more or less than the calibration mark of the volumetric flask. Then,
before pouring the solution into a small beaker, the beaker were rinsed first with a
small amount of the solution. When using the cuvette, the surface of it were wiped
using kimwipe each time before inserting it into the Spectronic 20.

Conclusion

The source of the colour of the souft drink is from blue and green spectrum.
The wavelength of soft drink at maximum absorbance is at 520 nm and the
unknown concentarion of a soft drink from the calibration curve turn out to be 15 M.

References

 The Visible Spectra, 2009

http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/csustan/sodapop.htm

 Johns Hopkins, Feb 2016

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4763133/

 Wikipedia, Oct 2019

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blank_(solution)
 LABORATORY REPORT

CHM 260

EXPERIMENT 1

THE VISIBLE SPECTRA OF SOFT DRINKS

NAME : SHARIFAH NORADRIANA BINTI SAYED SHAMSUDIN

STUDENT NO : 2017824604

GROUP : A4AS1205_16

DATE OF SUBMISSION : 11.10. 2019

LECTURER’S NAME : MADAM NOOR FAEZAH MOHD SANI