Recently, we did a lab that was probably the most slow going one we have done so far. The work was really precise; We worked drop by drop to ensure that we were as close to the proper measurements, and it took us a few times to actually do the experiment properly. Thankfully, our classmates had enough time on their hands to help us out.
The goal of the lab was to determine the amount of electrons gained by manganese in a permanganate ion during a redox reaction. Last year, we learned the trick OIL RIG to remember that an Oxidation reaction is one where it Loses an electron, whereas a Reduction reaction involves one Gaining an electron. I’d forgotten that over the summer, but this experiment refreshed it for me!
Even if it was a bit tedious, and even if it took us three times, this experiment was great because it really did help me remember some of the things that I’d previously learned, that slipped my mind between last year and now.