LAB #1: Mystery Substances
You have been given samples of two different liquids and three different powdered solids. Following the steps of the
Scientific Method, you must try to identify the substances by performing experiments to determine their chemical and
physical properties. You will write a lab report that describes your procedures and your findings.
1. Define the Problem: What question are you trying to answer?
2. Do Research: Using knowledge you and your lab partners already have about the chemical and physical
properties of some common substances, can you come up with a list of possible identities for your unknown
substances?
3. Make a Hypothesis: Based on your research, make an educated guess as to the identity of each of the
substances.
4. Experimentation: Design a series of experiments that will allow you to determine the properties of each
substance. You may not use any other substances; just the ones you’ve been given. Make careful
OBSERVATIONS of the substances BEFORE and AFTER you perform each experiment, and RECORD your
observations in a DATA TABLE.
5. Analysis and Conclusion: Analyze your data - did the outcomes of your experiments match the known
properties of the substances that you predicted? Is your hypothesis valid? If not, how will you now change your
hypothesis based on your data? Make a conclusion about the identities of the substances.
LAB #1: Mystery Substances
You have been given samples of two different liquids and three different powdered solids. Following the steps of the
Scientific Method, you must try to identify the substances by performing experiments to determine their chemical and
physical properties. You will write a lab report that describes your procedures and your findings.
1. Define the Problem: What question are you trying to answer?
2. Do Research: Using knowledge you and your lab partners already have about the chemical and physical
properties of some common substances, can you come up with a list of possible identities for your unknown
substances?
3. Make a Hypothesis: Based on your research, make an educated guess as to the identity of each of the
substances.
4. Experimentation: Design a series of experiments that will allow you to determine the properties of each
substance. You may not use any other substances; just the ones you’ve been given. Make careful
OBSERVATIONS of the substances BEFORE and AFTER you perform each experiment, and RECORD your
observations in a DATA TABLE.
5. Analysis and Conclusion: Analyze your data - did the outcomes of your experiments match the known
properties of the substances that you predicted? Is your hypothesis valid? If not, how will you now change your
hypothesis based on your data? Make a conclusion about the identities of the substances.