Lab 1: (Physical and Chemical Change)
Purpose:
Name ____________________________
To investigate the criteria used to distinguish between physical and chemical changes in matter.
Background:
Have you ever thought of your eyes as powerful tools for studying chemistry? Many of the properties of
matter and the changes it undergoes can easily be determined through careful observation.
Physical properties include color, odor, density, solubility, and the state of matter.
Chemical properties describe the changes that take place when new substances are formed during a
chemical reaction.
When matter undergoes a change, it is classified as either a physical change or chemical change.
During a physical change, only the size, temperature, or physical state of the substance change. There is
no change in the composition of the substance. In other words, no new substances are produced during a
physical change.
During a chemical change, one or more new substances are formed. These changes show up as changes
in color, odor, energy (heat or light given off or absorbed), or in the production of a gas and the resulting
products have different properties than the original materials.
For example: Iron metal left outside will rust. The new substance, rust, is iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3 (s), and
is a result of iron metal (Fe) reacting with oxygen gas (O2) from the air as shown by the following
chemical equation.
4 Fe(s)
+
3 O2 (g) →
2 Fe2O3 (s)
solid iron
oxygen
iron(III) oxide or “rust”
Rust has different properties than iron. It is a different color and is no longer magnetic. It also
crumbles when scratched and does not conduct heat or electricity as well as the original iron. The
rust is also heavier than the original iron because it has the added mass of oxygen from the air.
In this experiment you will observe a variety of materials and describe their physical properties. You will
then mix some of the substances or heat them to see if they undergo any changes. Based upon your
observations, you will determine whether the changes are physical changes or chemical changes.
Materials:
 Lab Apron
 Safety Goggle
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Plastic weighing tray
Beakers
Large test tubes
Evaporating dish
Hot plate
Funnel and filter paper
Chemicals
 Iron filings, Fe
 Sodium chloride, “table salt”, NaCl
 Sand, SiO2
 6M hydrochloric acid, HCl (corrosive, toxic, handle with extreme care)
 Marble chip made of calcium carbonate, CaCO3 .
 Cut copper penny
Safety Alert:
In this lab observe all precautions, especially the ones listed below and in the procedures.
 Protect your eyes! Wear your safety goggles with all steps.
o Hydrochloric acid is very corrosive, highly toxic, and can cause severe burns. Wear you lab
apron and protective gloves when working with this substance. Notify teacher immediately of
any spills and wash off your table, glassware, and your hands at the end of the lab.
 Protect your lungs!
o Do not inhale the smoke or gases produced during a chemical reaction.
 Never taste chemicals!
o Treat all chemicals as toxic.
o Wash hands after handling chemicals.
 Protect your hands!
o Wear gloves when handling strong acids.
o Do not touch hot glass or metal.
 Protect our environment!
o Dispose of all materials according to the instructions of your teacher.
Lab Technique:
Filtering a mixture:

Fold a piece of filter paper and prepare a filtration setup as shown in Figures 2.1 and 2.2.
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Filter the mixture and exam the filtrate and wet residue left on the filter paper. Record your
observations in your Data Table.
Lab 2: (Physical and Chemical Change)
Name ____________________________
Data and Observations:
Procedures:
(Safety goggles MUST be worn during all steps)
Iron, sand, sodium chloride, and water:
1.
2.
Obtain a mixture of iron, sand, and sodium chloride from your
instructor.
Discuss among your group the best way to separate these
substances and come up with a list of procedures you will follow.
Note: If you use a magnet, keep it in the plastic bag to make it
easier to remove anything that sticks to the magnet.
Describe your procedures for separating these substances. Continue
numbers as needed. Use these procedures to separate the mixture.
1.
Place a magnet into a plastic bag and move it over the top of the
mixture.
→ Iron is attracted to the magnet.
Sand and salt are not attracted to
the magnet and left on the tray.
2.
Pour the mixture into a 250 mL beaker and add about 100 mL of tap
water. Stir the mixture for 5 minutes with a glass rod.
→ The white salt crystals seem to
dissolve leaving the tan sand
sitting at the bottom of the beaker.
3.
Pour the mixture of sand and salt water through filter paper using
the funnel set-up from the previous page.
→ The filter paper stops the sand.
The salt water solution goes
through the filter paper and is
collected as filtrate.
4.
Evaporate the water from the salt water mixture using an
evaporating dish and a hot plate or simply by letting the mixture sit
out without a cover until the water is gone.
→ Small white crystals are left over
after using the hot plate.
→ Larger white crystals are left
when the water is evaporated
slowly.
Reactions with the acid Hydrochloric acid, HCl:
Data and Observations
Note: Hydrochloric acid is very corrosive, highly toxic,
and can cause severe burns. Wear you lab apron and
protective gloves when working with this substance.
Hydrochloric acid added to a marble chip made of
calcium carbonate, CaCO3 (s)
1. Place a marble chip into a large test tube.
2. Add 10 to 20 drops of 6 M hydrochloric acid to
the chip.
3. Touch the bottom of the test tube during the
reaction to see if there are any temperature
changes.
4. Rinse your acid waste into the designated acid
waste beaker. Clean your test tube with tap water
and a test tube brush. Place upside down on the
test tube rack.
5. Record your observations in the space to the right
of these procedures.
Hydrochloric acid added to a cut up copper penny.
1. Place a cut penny into a 50 mL beaker.
2. Using a 10 mL graduated cylinder, measure out
approximately 8 mL of the 6 M hydrochloric acid
and add it to the copper penny.
3. Record your observations in the space provided
to the right.
4. Rinse your acid waste into the designated acid
waste beaker. Clean your beaker with tap water
and a test tube brush. Dry it out with a paper
towel and wipe your lab table down with a wet
cloth.
5. Make sure all equipment used in the experiment
is clean and ready for the next class.
6.
Follow your teacher’s instructions for proper
disposal of all materials.
→The reaction produces a lot of bubbles.
→ The bottom of the test tube get slightly warmer.
→The marble chips get smaller as the reaction
proceeds.
→The cut penny has a silver/gray interior and a
reddish brown exterior.
→The acid reacts with the inside of the penny to
produce bubbles of gas.
→After a while the penny appears “hollow” with
nothing left on the inside. Only the copper shell
remains.
Lab 2: (Physical and Chemical Change)
Name ____________________________
Conclusion /Analysis Questions:
1.
Describe the difference between a physical change and a chemical change.
2.
What criteria did you use to recognize when chemical changes took place.
3.
Indicate whether each mixing resulted in a physical change or a chemical change or both. Justify your
answer.
System
Type of change
(circle one)
Justification
Chemical change
Mixing iron , sand, and salt.
Physical change
Both
Chemical change
Mixing hydrochloric acid with
marble chips.
Physical change
Both
Chemical change
Mixing hydrochloric acid with
a cut penny.
Physical change
Both
4. Was the copper penny made of pure copper or a mixture of substances? How can you tell?