Element/Compound/Mixture Lab
Introduction: Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.
There are 3 states of matter:
Solid-Fixed Shape, Fixed Volume
Liquid-Not Fixed Shape, Fixed Volume
Gas-No Fixed Shape, No fixed volume
Matter has both intensive and extensive properties. An Intensive property is independent of the quantity of
matter being studied (density, color, acidity, melting point, chemical structure) An Extensive Property
depends on the quantity of matter being studied (mass, volume).
Matter can be classified as a pure substance or a mixture. A pure substance is a sample of matter with a
distinct set of intensive properties; they are elements (one type of atom) and compounds (more than one type
of atom) and cannot be separated by a physical process. A mixture contains 2 or more substances physically
combined and can usually be separated by physical changes
Part 1: Follow the directions for the Paper Chromatography Lab.
Directions:
• Create a long strip by cutting the coffee filter.
•Use a black sharpie and draw a thick line near the bottom of the filter paper
- about ¼ inch from the bottom.
- poke a hole with a pencil or pen at the top of the strip. The paper will hang from the pencil in the beaker.
• Pour a small amount of water with a little rubbing alcohol into a beaker and then hang the paper strip. Make sure the
ink line does not touch the water
– only the bottom of the filter paper.
*Let sit and return back to this in the analysis section of the lab.
Part 2: Follow directions and use the table below to answer the following questions.
1. Identify the category of matter. Is it a pure substance?
2. Is it a solid, liquid or gas, and how did you know?
3. If so then is it an element or is it a compound?
4. If a mixture, devise a way to separate the mixture.
Substance
Name
Aluminum
Foil
Salt, Sand,
and water
Oil and
Vinegar
Salad
Dressing
Iron and
Sulfur
Soda
Cereal
Element,
Compound, or
Mixture
If a mixture, Devise a way to separate?
Solid, Liquid or Gas
Substance
Name
Element,
Compound, or
Mixture
If a mixture, Devise a way to separate?
Solid, Liquid or Gas
Stearic
Acid
Zinc
Orange
Juice with
Pulp
Analysis Questions:
1.
What is the difference between an element, a compound and a mixture?
2.
Were you able to separate all of the mixtures by physical means? If not, which ones could you
not separate?
3.
Were any of the substances more than one state of matter? Which ones?
4.
Which substances were elements?
5.
Which substances were compounds?
5.
6.
Which substances were mixtures?
7.
List 3 intensive properties that orange juice has (be specific to orange juice).
8.
List 3 extensive properties that aluminum foil has (be specific to aluminum foil).
Classify each of the following as:
-element (ele) or compound (com) or mixture (m)
(a) spaghetti sauce
(g) glass
(b) table sugar
(h) river water
(c) cough syrup
(i) nitrogen
(d) silver
(j) a pine tree
(e) orange juice
(k) oxygen
(f) iced tea
(l) air