Explain what each step of the procedure is supposed to
accomplish. For example, during the benzoic acid lab you are asked to cover your solution
with a beaker and allow it to cool slowly. The explanation of this step isn’t “we cover it so
the flask will cool. The explanation is, “We cover it to slow down the cooling so the solubility
of the benzoic acid decreases slowly. Since the solubility decreases, the benzoic acid will
come out of solution. Since the crystals have more time to grow they should be bigger and
more pure.”
