Types of Chemical Reactions Lab
Complete the following chemical reactions below. Record your observations. After each reaction and observation,
write the balanced equation. Label each type of chemical reaction as:
synthesis (SYN) , decomposition (DEC), single replacement (SR), double replacement (DR), or combustion (COMB).
NOTE: YOU WILL HAVE TO PREDICT THE PRODUCTS FOR THESE REACTIONS IN ORDER TO
WRITE THE BALANCED EQUATION.
PLEASE INCLUDE (s) (l) (g) or (aq) FOR ALL PRODUCTS AND REACTANTS IN BALANCED
EQUATION (NOT IN NET IONIC EQUATION)
PLEASE WASH ALL GLASSWARE AFTER EACH SECTION.
1) Place an aluminum pellet in a test tube. Add enough copper (II) chloride to cover the aluminum. Heat gently with
a Bunsen Burner. Wait a couple of minutes and observe. Note the color of the solution. Discard extra aluminum into
garbage can. Wash solution down the sink with water.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
2) Place a piece of zinc in a test tube. Add about 3 mL copper (II) nitrate. Wait several minutes and observe. Discard
extra zinc into garbage can. Wash solution down the sink with water.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
3) Add about 3 mL of nitric acid to a test tube. Add a small piece of magnesium to the tube and observe.
Do not clean the tube yet!! Move immediately on to #4.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
4) Using a burning wood splint ignite the gas which forms in #3. What gas in the air reacted?? Wash contents down
the sink with water.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
5) Observe the reaction of sulfuric acid and an iron nail. This reaction is very slow. Look closely! Please do not
touch the test tube. Leave it in place for the next group.
Observations:
Balanced Equation: (note: the iron has a +3 charge on the product side)
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
6) Add 2 ml of plumbous nitrate to a test tube and then add 2 ml of potassium iodide to the tube. Observe the
reaction. Pour contents into waste beaker in the fume hood! Then rinse tube thoroughly in the sink with water.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
7) Add about 50 ml of tap water to a beaker. Add a small amount of bromothymol blue as an indicator. Use a straw
and blow into the mixture until a reaction occurs. Wash contents down the sink. Write bromothymol blue above the
arrow. (You need to determine what the second reactant is.)
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of Reaction:
8) Add about 25 ml of calcium oxide to a small beaker. Blow into the beaker using a straw and observe. Wash
contents down the sink.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
9) Place a squirt of methanol in an evaporating dish. Light the liquid with a lighter and observe. Do not touch the
evaporating dish! Yes – it is hot! Leave dish in place for next group – do not wash it. PUT LID BACK ON
METHANOL BOTTLE IMMEDIATELY.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
10) YOUR INSTRUCTOR WILL DEOMONSTRATE THIS REACTION.
Place about 50 grams of sodium hydrogen carbonate (baking soda) in a 125 mL flask. Place a watch glass over the
opening of the flask. Using a ring stand, ring clamp, wire gauze, and Bunsen burner, heat the baking soda. Place an
ice cube on the watch glass and then observe the watch glass closely for a minute or two. Now remove the watch glass
with beaker tongs or a hot hand and place a lit lighter into the flask and observe. Remove the flask from the ring stand
set-up using a hot hand. Gently shake the flask and observe what happens. Set the hot flask in the cooling pan.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
11) Using tongs, place a piece of magnesium into a Bunsen burner flame and observe.
DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE FLAME!!
Use a wet paper towel to wipe up any residue which might fall on to the lab bench or on to the floor. What is the
second reactant???
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
12) Using tongs, place a piece of copper into a Bunsen burner flame and observe. Simply dispose of product in the
garbage.
Observations:
Balanced Equation: (Note: the copper is in the +2 oxidation state on the product side)
Type of reaction:
13) Using tongs, place some steel wool into a Bunsen burner flame for a second or two. Remove it from the flame
and observe. Simply dispose of product in the garbage.
Observations:
Balanced Equation: (Note: the iron is in the +3 oxidation state on the product side)
Type of reaction:
14) Add a very small amount of manganese dioxide to about 3 mL of hydrogen peroxide. Test the gas which forms
with a glowing wood splint. Note that manganese dioxide is a catalyst in this reaction. Write its formula above the
arrow.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
15) In a test tube combine a few mL of aqueous sodium carbonate and a few mL of phosphoric acid. Test the gas
which forms with a burning wood splint.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Net Ionic Equation:
Type of reaction:
16) Shake any excess water out of the test tube (but do not use a paper towel to dry it). Add a crystal of copper
sulfate pentahydrate to a test tube. Heat the test tube for several minutes in a Bunsen burner. Use a test tube holder to
hold the test tube. Observe the change. Do not discard the product. You need it for #17.
Observations:
Balance this equation:
CuSO45H2O
CuSO4 + H2O
Type of reaction:
17) Allow tube to cool for 30 seconds. Now using a pipette, add 2 drops of water back into the tube from #16. Wash
contents of tube down the sink with lots of water.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
18) YOUR INSTRUCTOR WILL DEMONSTRATE THIS REACTION.
In a small test tube add a mixture of sodium chlorate and manganese dioxide. Heat with a Bunsen Burner. Test the
gas coming from the tube with a glowing wood splint. Manganese dioxide is a catalyst in this reaction.
Observations:
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
TURN TO LAST PAGE FOR THE FINAL THREE REACTIONS (19-21)!!
THE FINAL THREE REACTIONS ARE NOT FOUND AT SEPARATE STATIONS. INSTEAD THEY ARE
REACTIONS YOU USED THROUGHOUT THE LAB.
19) During this lab you made use of the Bunsen burner, which is the combustion of methane.
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
20) During this lab you also made use of a butane lighter which is the combustion of butane.
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction:
21) During this lab you also made use of a burning wood splint. Write the reaction for the combustion of cellulose
(C6H10O5)n. Write cellulose as simply C6H10O5 in the reaction.
Balanced Equation:
Type of reaction: