Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties of Materials
Introduction
Matter, the “stuff” that makes up everything we see, can be classified in several manners. It can
be found as a pure substance, an element or compound, or a mixture. Each of these will, in turn,
have both physical and chemical properties. To investigate these properties of matter, a few
definitions must be made.
Pure substances can either be elements or compounds. Elements are anything found on the
periodic table. As long as the matter is comprised only of that element, it is a pure substance. A
chunk of copper, oxygen gas, a lead weight, and a diamond (pure carbon) are prime examples of
a pure substance that is in an elemental form. A compound is also a pure substance made up of
more than one element, as long as there are no impurities. Pure water, sodium chloride, calcium
carbonate, and aluminum oxide, are examples of a pure substance in the form of a compound.
Mixtures occur when two or more elements or compounds are mixed together. There are two
types of mixtures, homogeneous and heterogeneous. Homogeneous mixtures are when the
properties of the solution are the same throughout. Examples of this would be salt water, air,
vanilla ice cream, and metal alloys like stainless steel. Heterogeneous mixtures are when the
properties can change, depending on where you are looking in the solution. Examples of this
would be and oil/water mixture, rocky road ice cream, and raw metal ores (metal mixed in with
dirt and such).
Each of these classifications of matter has both chemical and physical properties. A physical
property is one that can be observed without altering the substance. That is to say, it remains
unchanged after the observation. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, color, phase
changes (boiling, melting, and freezing points), solubility, miscibility, hardness, and density.
Each of these is observable without creating a new substance.
A chemical property is essentially whether or not the substance will react with another
substance. For instance, iron reacting with oxygen to form rust, and the fact that argon does not
react with anything, are both chemical properties. Chemical properties are observed in a
chemical reaction and a new substance is formed.
A physical property is determined when a physical change takes place. A physical change is
one in which the substance undergoes a change, but its composition remains the same. Examples
of this are a temporary color change (as in the heating of metal), breaking something in half to
determine its strength, or dissolving a substance in water.
A chemical change is observed in a chemical reaction. There are four ways to know if a
chemical change has occurred. These evidences are: permanent color change, gas being
released, formation of a solid (precipitate, abbreviated as PPT), and heat released/absorbed.
Examples of these would be iron rusting, antacid tablets fizzing in water, a solution turning a
milky color when mixed, and a solution heating up when mixed.
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Prodecure
Physical properties – Observations of Elements
Using the given samples of elements, describe their physical characteristics, determine their
symbol, and indicate whether or not they are a metal, semi metal, or nonmetal.
Physical properties – Solubility of a Solid in Water – Soluble or Insoluble
Half fill two small test tubes with water. Add a few crystals of copper (II) sulfate, CuSO4,
into one test tube, and a small chunk of calcium carbonate, CaCO3 to the other. Gently
shake the test tubes and note whether or not the solids dissolve. Note whether or not the
solids are soluble or insoluble.
Physical properties – Solubility of a Liquid in a Liquid – Miscible or Immiscible
Add 20-30 drops, ~1 mL, of water into two test tubes. Add 20-30 drops of ethanol to one test
tube and 20-30 drops of hexane to the other. Note whether or not the solutions mix, and indicate
whether they are miscible or immiscible.
Chemical properties – Reactions of Elements (Instructor Demo)
Observe a copper wire before and after being heated with a Bunsen burner. Indicate whether
the wire underwent a chemical or physical change.
Observe iodine crystals before and after being heated. Indicate whether the iodine underwent
a chemical or physical change.
Chemical properties – Reactions of Compounds
Add 20 drops of sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, and 20 drops of sodium sulfate, Na2SO4, into
separate, small test tubes. Add hydrochloric acid, HCl, to each the test tube and note any
changes that might occur. Indicate if the addition of hydrochloric acid resulted in a chemical
or physical change.
Add 20 drops of calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2, and 20 drops of copper (II) nitrate, Cu(NO3)2,
into separate, small test tubes. Add 20 drops of ammonium hydroxide, NH4OH, to each test
tube and note any changes that might occur. Indicate if the addition of ammonium hydroxide
resulted in a chemical or physical change.
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Boiling Point Measurement
Boiling Point – Methanol
Refer to Figure 3.1 for the setup of the boiling point apparatus. Fill a 400 mL beaker ¾ full
with water, add a boiling chip to the beaker, and support it on a ring stand with an iron ring
and wire gauze. Add between 1-2 mL of methanol into a large test tube and put a boiling
chip into the methanol. Place a thermometer into a split rubber stopper and suspend the end
of the thermometer approximately 1 cm above the methanol. Use a test tube clamp to hold
the test tube to the ring stand. Bring the water to a boil using the Bunsen burner and shut off
the burner. Lower the methanol into the beaker. The alcohol will begin to boil and liquid
will begin dripping from the bottom of the thermometer. When this is observed, read the
thermometer. When the temperature no longer continues to rise, record the temperature. Be
careful not to allow the methanol to completely boil off.
Safety Note: Methanol is very flammable! It is imperative that the Bunsen burner be
shut off before the methanol is introduced to the beaker to avoid possible vapor ignition.
Keep all flames far away from the methanol!
Boiling Point – Unknown Liquid
Obtain an unknown liquid from your instructor and record its number. Repeat the instructions
above using your unknown liquid.
Figure 3.1
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Prelaboratory Questions
What are the four ways you know a chemical reaction has taken place?
Give your own example of:
Homogeneous mixture
Heterogeneous mixture
Element
Compound
Physical Change
Chemical Change
Is each of the following a chemical or physical property:
Iron rusts
____________
Rust is red in color
____________
Iron is malleable
____________
Iron’s density is 5.8𝑐𝑚3
𝑔
____________
Is each of the following a chemical or physical change:
Gasoline burns in air ____________
Ice melts
____________
Salt dissolves in water____________
Milk sours
____________
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Data Table
Physical Properties – Observations of Elements
Element
Symbol
Physical Characteristics
Metal/Semi/Nonmetal
Oxygen
Silicon
Argon
Magnesium
Aluminum
Iron
Sulfur
Phosphorous
Mercury
Cobalt
Tin
Sodium
Arsenic
Physical Properties – Solubility of a Solid in Water
Observation
Soluble or Insoluble?
Copper sulfate in water
________________
___________________
Calcium carbonate in water
________________
___________________
Physical Properties – Miscibility of a Liquid in Water
Observation
Miscible or Immiscible?
Ethyl alcohol in water
________________
___________________
Hexane in water
________________
___________________
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Chemical Properties – Reactions of Elements (Instructor Demo)
Observation
Physical or
Chemical Change
Copper wire and heat
____________________
_______________
Iodine and heat
____________________
_______________
Chemical Properties – Reactions of Compounds
Potassium hydrogen carbonate
And heat
____________________
________________
Ammonium hydrogen carbonate
And heat
____________________
________________
Chemical Properties – Reactions of Solutions
Sodium carbonate and
Hydrochloric acid
____________________
________________
Sodium sulfate and
Hydrochloric acid
____________________
________________
Calcium nitrate and
Ammonium hydroxide
____________________
________________
Copper (II) nitrate and
Ammonium hydroxide
____________________
________________
Boiling Point Measurement
Boiling Point – Methanol
________ °C
Boiling Point – Unknown #_______
________ °C
Experiment 3 – Chemical and Physical Properties
Name __________________
Lab Section __________________
Postlaboratory Questions
1) Indicate whether the following properties are representative of a metal, semi metal, or
nonmetal:
Left hand side of the Periodic Table
_____________
Brittle
_____________
Can behave like a metal or nonmetal
_____________
Malleable
_____________
High melting point
_____________
Reacts with nonmetals
_____________
Reacts with metals and nonmetals
_____________
2) Classify each of the following as an element, compound, homogeneous mixture, or
heterogeneous mixture.
Mercury metal, Hg
__________
Amalgum fillings (silver in mercury) __________
mercury (II) chloride, HgCl2 __________
mercury in sand
__________
3) Indicate whether each of the following is a chemical or physical property:
Color of the material
__________
Hardness
__________
Boiling point
__________
Reacts with oxygen
__________
4) Indicate whether each of the following is a chemical or physical change:
Tomato ripens
__________
Frying an egg
__________
Water boils when heated
__________
Chopping wood in half
__________