Name____________________
Introduction to Chemistry and Physic
Date_______________
Be sure to have plenty of paper and a pencil on hand.
Each lab group will be responsible for cleaning up your area and your equipment. I will advise
you when we have about 10 minutes until the end of class, so you can finish up your current
experiment and clean up your area. FAILURE TO CLEAN UP THE AREA AND
EQUIPMENT WILL MEAN THE END OF LABS FOR THE YEAR! HELP EACH OTHER!
Purpose: To show that many chemical reactions fall into one of several categories:
Combustion Reactions
Synthesis Reactions
Decomposition Reaction
Single Replacement Reactions
Double Replacement Reactions
You are expected to treat this lab as any scientist would. This means you write down all your
steps as you do them. This way, if you need to repeat the experiment, you will be able to do it
the same way again. You will be writing up a lab report when you are done explaining what you
did, observed, and most importantly, what you think happened. I will give you the lab report
format later. We will work on it in class. In all cases, clean your equipment between measuring
the various chemical compounds; failure to do so may contaminate your results.
Experiment 1.
In this experiment, you will study the reaction between acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate
(baking soda). You will try to determine if it is an exothermic or endothermic reaction. An
equation for the reaction is:
CH3CO2H + NaHCO3 → NaC2H3O2 + H2O + CO2
(acetic acid + sodium bicarbonate → sodium acetate + water + carbon dioxide gas )
Add approximately 5 ml of acetic acid to a test tube. Using your thermometer, record the
temperature of the acetic acid. Add a small scoop of sodium bicarbonate to the acetic acid.
Gently stir (with the thermometer) until all sodium bicarbonate has been dissolved. Wait one
minute and record any temperature change and other observations. Based on your data, is this
an endothermic or exothermic reaction? Pour the solution into the sink, clean your materials,
and prepare for the next experiment.
Name____________________
Introduction to Chemistry and Physic
Date_______________
Experiment 2.
Use a piece of sandpaper to sand a piece of copper wire. Hold one end with tweezers, and hold
the copper in the outer cone of the Bunsen flame for 1 to 2 minutes. DO NOT TOUCH THE
WIRE UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN! Examine the wire and record what you see. What do you
think is on the copper wire after you have heated it? What kind of reaction if this?
2Cu + O2 → ?
Experiment 3.
Select a piece of magnesium ribbon. Holding one end with the tweezers, ignite the other end in
the flame of the Bunsen burner. Collect the ash on the wire mesh and compare it with the
original metal. Once again, record all you observe while the magnesium was on fire. Name the
product and describe it briefly. This is a synthesis reaction.
2 Mg + O2 → ?
Name____________________
Introduction to Chemistry and Physic
Date_______________
Experiment 4.
Place a small piece of Zinc in a test tube, and add 5 ml of liquid copper II sulfate solution.
Allow the zinc to remain in the solution for five minutes. Did you observe any change? What
do you think is happening in the test tube? What type of reaction is this?
Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) ---> ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Experiment 5.
Measure 5 ml of Lead Nitrate solution Pb(NO3)2 into a test tube, and then add 5 ml of Sodium
Iodide solution. Record any observations. What type of reaction is this?
Pb(NO3)2 + 2NaI → PbI2 + 2NaNO3
Name____________________
Introduction to Chemistry and Physic
Date_______________
Experiment 6.
Add 5 ml of Ammonium Hydroxide solution to 5 ml of Aluminum Chloride solution. Record
your observations. What type of reaction is this?
AlCl3 + 3NH4OH → Al(OH)3 + 3NH4Cl
Experiment 7.
Read the directions first so you know what you are going to do. Measure approximately 5 ml of
water into a test tube. Carefully drop a piece of Calcium metal into the water. DO NOT
TOUCH THE CALCIUM WITH YOUR HANDS. USE CLEAN, DRY TWEEZERS! What do
you observe? Immediately bring a flaming coffee stirrer to the mouth of the test tube. What
happens? What kind of gas is created? What type of reaction is this?
Ca + 2 H2O → Ca(OH)2 + H2
Name____________________
Introduction to Chemistry and Physic
Date_______________
Experiment 8.
Always use caution any time you are around acids. Place 5 ml of Hydrochloric acid in a test
tube. Carefully drop a piece of zinc into the acid. Bring a flaming coffee stirrer to the mouth of
the test tube. What happens? What do you think the gas produce is? What type of reaction is
this? As soon as you are finished, fill the test tube with water, and then pour the liquid down the
drain.
Zn + 2HCl → H2 + ZnCl2
Experiment 9.
Heat approximately 5 grams of copper II sulfate pentahydrate while hold the mouth slightly
downward. What substance appears on the colder portion of the test tube? Record any change in
the solid left in the test tube. When the test tube has cooled (make sure you let it cool to room
temperature, or it may shatter the test tube), slowly add 3 or 4 drops of water, and explain what
happens. What type of reaction is this?
CuSO45H20 → CuSO4 + 5H2O