Best examples of chemistry lab report findings examples for 2024

Examples of chemistry lab report findings examples you can model

Let’s start where students actually need help: seeing what strong findings sections look like. Below are several examples of chemistry lab report findings examples organized by common lab types you’ll meet in general chemistry.

Each example focuses on what belongs in Findings/Results only:

• What you measured
• How the data behaved (trends, relationships)
• Key numerical outcomes and uncertainties

You’ll notice these examples avoid interpretation like “this shows that…” as much as possible. That belongs in the Discussion section.

Example of findings: Determining the molar mass of an unknown solute (freezing point depression)

This is a standard first‑year experiment: use freezing point depression to estimate the molar mass of an unknown compound.

Sample findings paragraph:

The pure lauric acid sample exhibited a freezing point of 43.8 ± 0.2 °C based on three trials. When the unknown solute was added, the freezing point decreased to 40.9 ± 0.2 °C, giving an average freezing point depression (ΔT_f) of *2.9 ± 0.3 °C*. Using the accepted cryoscopic constant for lauric acid (K_f = 3.9 °C·kg/mol), the calculated molality of the solution was *0.74 ± 0.08 mol/kg. From the measured solute mass of *1.02 g dissolved in 0.050 kg of lauric acid, the molar mass of the unknown solute was determined to be 27.6 ± 3.0 g/mol. This value is within 10% of the reference molar mass for propanoic acid (30.0 g/mol).

Why this works as one of the best examples of findings:

• Reports averages and uncertainty, not just single values
• States constants used (K_f) without explaining theory
• Connects calculated molar mass to a known value, but leaves the interpretation (identity, error sources) for later

Example of findings: Acid–base titration of vinegar (acetic acid concentration)

Acid–base titrations are everywhere in general chemistry. This example of chemistry lab report findings shows how to describe titration data without drifting into discussion.

Sample findings paragraph:

The standardized NaOH solution had a measured concentration of 0.102 ± 0.001 M based on primary standard potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) titrations (n = 3). For the vinegar samples, the average volume of NaOH required to reach the phenolphthalein endpoint was 16.42 ± 0.11 mL for a 10.00 mL aliquot of vinegar. This corresponds to an average acetic acid concentration of 0.168 ± 0.003 M. Expressed as mass percent, the vinegar contained 1.01 ± 0.02 g of acetic acid per 100 g of solution, or 1.01 ± 0.02% (m/m), assuming a vinegar density of 1.00 g/mL. Across the three trials, the relative standard deviation for the calculated acetic acid concentration was 1.8%, indicating good repeatability of the titration results.

Notice how this fits with other examples of chemistry lab report findings examples:

• It focuses on what the data show numerically, not why the value might be low or high
• It uses consistent significant figures and units
• It mentions repeatability with a simple statistic (relative standard deviation)

For modern titration standards and reporting practices, you can compare your approach with the style used in method descriptions from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): https://www.nist.gov

Example of findings: Reaction rate and temperature (kinetics)

Kinetics labs often ask you to compare rate constants at different temperatures and maybe estimate an activation energy using the Arrhenius equation.

Sample findings paragraph:

The initial rate of the crystal violet–NaOH reaction increased systematically with temperature. At 20.0 ± 0.5 °C, the pseudo–first‑order rate constant, k_obs, was *3.1 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹. At *30.0 ± 0.5 °C*, k_obs increased to *5.2 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹, and at 40.0 ± 0.5 °C*, k_obs was *8.8 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹*. A plot of ln(k_obs) versus 1/T (K⁻¹) produced a straight line with *R² = 0.992, indicating a strong linear relationship consistent with the Arrhenius model. From the slope of this line, the activation energy was calculated to be 48 ± 4 kJ/mol*. Across all temperatures, residuals between the experimental ln(k_obs) values and the fitted line were within *±0.05, suggesting that the first‑order kinetic model adequately described the data under the conditions tested.

This is one of the best examples of findings in kinetics because:

• It gives specific rate constants at each temperature
• It summarizes the trend without interpreting the chemistry
• It reports fit quality (R² and residuals), which is increasingly expected in 2024–2025 as more labs use digital data analysis

If you want to mirror professional style, you can look at how kinetics data are presented in open‑access articles via PubMed Central (NIH): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/

Example of findings: Buffer capacity and pH changes

Buffer labs are a favorite in AP and college general chemistry. Here’s an example of chemistry lab report findings that focuses on buffer capacity.

Sample findings paragraph:

The initial pH of the acetic acid/acetate buffer (0.10 M total acetate species) was 4.72 ± 0.02, consistent with the pKa of acetic acid (4.76 at 25 °C). Addition of 5.00 mL of 0.10 M HCl to 50.0 mL of the buffer decreased the pH to 4.61 ± 0.02, a change of 0.11 pH units. In contrast, the same volume and concentration of HCl added to 50.0 mL of deionized water decreased the pH from 6.89 ± 0.02 to 1.52 ± 0.02, a change of 5.37 pH units. The buffer capacity, defined as moles of strong acid per liter required to change the pH by one unit, was 0.91 ± 0.05 mol·L⁻¹·pH⁻¹ for the acetic acid/acetate system under the conditions tested.

This fits cleanly with other examples of chemistry lab report findings examples because it:

• Clearly compares buffer vs. water in quantitative terms
• Defines buffer capacity numerically without explaining the underlying equilibrium
• Uses precise language about pH changes

For pH and buffer background values, the USGS Water Science School provides clear reference data: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school

Example of findings: Calorimetry and enthalpy of neutralization

Thermochemistry labs often ask you to determine an enthalpy change from temperature data.

Sample findings paragraph:

Mixing 50.0 mL of 1.00 M HCl with 50.0 mL of 1.00 M NaOH at an initial temperature of 22.4 ± 0.1 °C produced a maximum temperature of 28.9 ± 0.1 °C. The measured temperature increase of 6.5 ± 0.2 °C, combined with the total solution mass of 100.0 ± 0.5 g and an assumed specific heat capacity of 4.18 J·g⁻¹·°C⁻¹, yielded a heat release of 2.7 × 10³ ± 0.1 × 10³ J per trial. Normalized per mole of water formed (0.0500 mol), the enthalpy of neutralization was –54 ± 3 kJ/mol. Across three trials, the average enthalpy change was –55 ± 2 kJ/mol, with a relative standard deviation of 3.6%.

Why this belongs among the best examples of calorimetry findings:

• It walks through the data chain: temperature → heat → molar enthalpy
• It avoids explaining why the value differs from the literature (that’s for Discussion)
• It shows how to present trial‑to‑trial consistency in one sentence

For comparison with standard thermochemical values, the NIST Chemistry WebBook is a useful reference: https://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/

Example of findings: Beer–Lambert law and spectrophotometry

Labs using spectrophotometers are now standard, and many instructors expect cleaner data reporting than they did a decade ago. Here’s an example of chemistry lab report findings for a Beer–Lambert law experiment.

Sample findings paragraph:

The absorbance of the FeSCN²⁺ complex at 447 nm increased linearly with concentration over the range 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ M to 6.0 × 10⁻⁵ M. The best‑fit calibration line was A = (1.12 × 10⁴ ± 0.3 × 10⁴ L·mol⁻¹·cm⁻¹)·c + (0.002 ± 0.003) with R² = 0.998. Blank solutions containing all reagents except Fe³⁺ showed absorbance values between 0.000 and 0.004, indicating minimal background interference. Unknown sample U1 had an absorbance of 0.452 ± 0.005, corresponding to a FeSCN²⁺ concentration of 4.0 × 10⁻⁵ ± 0.2 × 10⁻⁵ M using the calibration curve. Repeat measurements of U1 (n = 5) produced a relative standard deviation of 2.1%.

This sits comfortably alongside other examples of chemistry lab report findings examples because it:

• States the wavelength, concentration range, and equation of the line
• Includes uncertainty in slope and intercept, which is increasingly expected in 2024–2025
• Shows how to convert an unknown’s absorbance into a concentration in one tight sentence

Example of findings: Solubility product (Ksp) of calcium hydroxide

Equilibrium labs often focus on solubility products. Here’s an example of chemistry lab report findings that keeps the math inside the findings without turning it into a derivation.

Sample findings paragraph:

The conductivity of saturated Ca(OH)₂ solutions at 25.0 ± 0.2 °C corresponded to an average calcium ion concentration of 0.016 ± 0.002 M across three independently prepared saturates. From the stoichiometry of Ca(OH)₂(s) ⇌ Ca²⁺(aq) + 2 OH⁻(aq), the hydroxide concentration was 0.032 ± 0.004 M. The calculated solubility product, Ksp = [Ca²⁺][OH⁻]², was 1.6 × 10⁻⁵ ± 0.4 × 10⁻⁵ at 25 °C. Individual Ksp values from the three trials ranged from 1.3 × 10⁻⁵ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁵, with a mean of 1.6 × 10⁻⁵ and a relative standard deviation of 15%.

Again, this aligns with other best examples:

• It reports concentrations, stoichiometric relationships, and Ksp clearly
• It gives a range of values, not just a single number
• It keeps interpretation of the relatively large spread for the Discussion

How to structure your own findings using these real examples

Once you’ve seen several real examples of chemistry lab report findings examples, some patterns become obvious. Strong findings sections usually:

• Open with what was measured, not why
• Present summarized data (averages, ranges, standard deviations) instead of raw tables
• Highlight key numerical results: concentrations, rate constants, enthalpies, Ksp values, pH changes
• Mention uncertainty in a simple, readable way (± notation, percent error, or relative standard deviation)
• Describe trends: “increased with temperature,” “decreased as ionic strength increased,” “varied linearly with concentration”

You can treat the earlier paragraphs as templates:

• For a titration, copy the structure of the vinegar example and swap in your acid/base, volumes, and concentrations.
• For a kinetics lab, mirror the rate‑constant example: values at each temperature, then a short summary of the Arrhenius plot.
• For a spectrophotometry lab, follow the Beer–Lambert example: wavelength, calibration line, R², then unknown concentration.

The goal is not to memorize a single example of chemistry lab report findings, but to recognize the style: precise, numerical, organized, and light on interpretation.

2024–2025 trends: What instructors now expect in chemistry findings

If your instructor seems pickier than the sample reports in your old textbook, you’re not imagining it. In 2024–2025, several trends are showing up in chemistry lab report grading:

• Digital data analysis is assumed. Many labs now use Logger Pro, Vernier, PASCO, or Python/R notebooks. In findings, that translates into clean linear fits, reported R², and occasionally slope/intercept uncertainties.
• Uncertainty is no longer optional. Even in high school, teachers increasingly expect at least a basic statement of error (±0.1 mL, ±0.2 °C, percent difference). The examples above reflect that shift.
• Alignment with safety and quality practices. While your lab is not an industrial plant, expectations are drifting toward the documentation style used in regulated environments. Agencies like OSHA and NIH emphasize clear, traceable data reporting, which influences how modern lab manuals are written.

For a sense of professional expectations in experimental reporting, browse laboratory method sections from university chemistry departments such as MIT (https://chemistry.mit.edu) or state university lab manuals hosted on .edu domains.

FAQ: examples of chemistry lab report findings examples

Q: Can you give another short example of findings for a simple reaction yield lab?
Yes. Here is a compact example of chemistry lab report findings for a synthesis yield experiment:

The reaction between 0.0100 mol of salicylic acid and 0.0120 mol of acetic anhydride produced 1.42 g of aspirin after purification and drying. The theoretical yield, based on salicylic acid as the limiting reagent, was 1.80 g, giving a percent yield of 78.9%. Melting point analysis showed a sharp melting range of 134.5–135.5 °C, compared with a literature value of 135–136 °C.

That’s enough for the Findings section; commentary on why the yield was below 100% belongs in the Discussion.

Q: How long should my findings section be if I follow these examples of chemistry lab report findings examples?
Length depends on the lab, but for most high school or first‑year college experiments, one to three well‑structured paragraphs are typical. The key is not word count; it’s whether you’ve clearly reported all key numerical outcomes and trends.

Q: Do I put graphs and tables in the findings section?
Yes, graphs and tables usually live in or immediately after the Findings/Results section. In the text, you briefly describe what each graph or table shows using the same style as the examples above: mention the main trend and the most important numbers.

Q: What is one common mistake students make when writing findings?
They mix interpretation with observation. Phrases like “this proves that” or “this error happened because” belong in the Discussion. The findings section should read like the examples of chemistry lab report findings examples here: focused on what you measured and calculated.

Q: Where can I see more real examples of chemistry lab report findings?
Look for sample lab reports posted by university chemistry departments or open‑access teaching resources on .edu or .org sites. Many general chemistry courses share anonymized student reports that you can use as models, especially for titrations, kinetics, and spectrophotometry experiments.