A Modern Twist on an Old Measurement: Using Laboratory Automation and Data Science to Determine the Solubility Product of Lead Iodide

Laboratory automation and data science are valuable newskillsfor all chemists, but most pedagogical activities involving automationto date have focused on upper-level coursework. Herein, we describea combined computational and experimental lab suitable for a first-yearundergraduate general chemistry course, in which these topics areintroduced in the context of determination of the solubility equilibriumconstant of lead iodide. Students analyze their data using logisticregression analysis, which has a physical interpretation in termsof the solubility equilibrium expression and its stoichiometric coefficients.In addition to laboratory automation, data visualization, and datafitting skills, students also practice core laboratory skills suchas the preparation of stock solutions using a volumetric flask andthe use of micropipets. To keep the lab affordable, we demonstratethe use of a low-cost 3D-printed liquid dispensing robot to performthe automated experiment in addition to a commercial liquid-handlingrobot. Example pre- and post-lab computational notebooks are providedin both Mathematica and Python programming languages.