Lab Report: Ionic and Covalent Bonds
Purpose:
Explore the properties of chemical substances that
can be used to identify the types of
bonds in a chemical substance using a laboratory
procedure.
Hypothesis:
If a substance is solid at room temperature and has
a crystalline structure, dissolves
easily in water and conducts electricity, then it
probably has ionic bonds otherwise it
probably has covalent bonds.
Variables:
Independent Variable: different substances
Dependent Variable: state of matter, appearance,
texture, crystalline structure, solubility
in water, conductivity, type of bonds (covalent or
ionic)
Controlled Variables: amount of substance, water
stirring duration
Materials:
five 25 mL beakers
spoon
stirring rod
10 mL graduated cylinder
distilled water in a wash bottle
conductivity apparatus
5 mL oil
2 g cornstarch
2 g sodium chloride
2 g sodium bicarbonate
Procedure:
(Repeat steps 1–4 for each of the following: 5 mL of
oil and 2g each of cornstarch,
sodium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate.)
1. Note State and Appearance
2. Determine Solubility in Water
3. Determine Conductivity
4. Determine Whether the Substances Are Ionic or
Covalent.
Analysis:
Different substances have different bonds (covalent and
ionic)
This was represented in the data the substances shared
some qualities but the main
rules applied (conductivity in water).
Conclusion:
1. You can identify the types of bonds contained in a
substance by comparing and
contrasting properties common in ionic and/or covalent
compounds.
2. If a substance is solid at room temperature, has a
crystalline structure, dissolves
easily in water and conducts electricity, then it most likely
has ionic bonds,
otherwise it most likely has covalent bonds.
Data table below: