Technicians’ lists of equipment
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Catalyst 3, Unit E:
Reactions of metals and
metal compounds
Lesson E1: What is a metal?
Starter activities
Share learning objectives
empty bottles of the following showing names of salts;
 shower gel
 shampoo
 bubble bath
 indigestion medicines (Optional)
 Digital microscope
 Light projector
Problem solving
 two test tubes in rack
 eye protection
 0.4 mol/dm3 hydrochloric acid
 small pieces of magnesium ribbon
 powdered calcium carbonate
 spatula
Brainstorming
packaging showing the words ‘salt’, ‘brine’, ‘sodium chloride’ or ‘saline’
e.g. medicines such as ‘Dioralyte’; contact lens saline; hot dogs or tuna in brine;
dishwasher salt; table salt
Capture interest
bottles of dilute hydrochloric and sulphuric acid;
clearly visible hazard warning corrosive signs
Main activities
E1a Thermal conductivity
For each group:
 set of metal rods each with attached thermometer of temperature-sensitive plastic
 250 cm3 beaker
 ruler
 stopwatch
For the class:
 kettle for boiling water
This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.
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Technicians’ lists of equipment
Downloaded from www.catalystscience.co.uk
Catalyst 3, Unit E:
Reactions of metals and
metal compounds
Lesson E2: Salt on the roads
Main activities
E2a Making sodium chloride
For each group:
 10 cm3 measuring cylinder, small beaker, glass rod, dropping pipette, white tile,
evaporating dish, beaker of suitable size for water bath, bunsen, mat, tripod, gauze
 0.4 mol/dm3 solutions of both hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide
 _ concentration of solutions: it is important that 10cm3 acid needs more than 9cm3
sodium hydroxide for neutralisation. [As close to 10 cm3 as possible, so it is ideal to test
it out before the lesson.]
 _ litmus paper
 _ (optional) Universal indicator and test tubes
 _ access to commercial salt crystals, e.g. table salt, rock salt, ‘sea salt’ larger crystals
Additional equipment for extension:
 _ solutions as above
 _ pH sensor or probe attached to datalogger with screen or hand-held pH sensor
Plenary activities
Group feedback
display of commercial salt crystals
e.g. table salt; rock salt; ‘sea salt’ larger crystals on evaporating dishes or Petri dishes on teacher’s
bench
Lesson E3: Acids attack metals
Starter activities
Brainstorming (1)
 0.4 mol/dm3 hydrochloric acid
 pieces of magnesium ribbon
 UI solution
 chart
 goggles
 test tube in rack
 bung
 splint
 matches
This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.
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Technicians’ lists of equipment
Downloaded from www.catalystscience.co.uk
Catalyst 3, Unit E:
Reactions of metals and
metal compounds
Main activities
E3a Metals and acids reactions
For each group:
 test tubes, bungs, thermometer and rack
 0.4 mol/dm3 hydrochloric, sulphuric and nitric acid
 small pieces of magnesium, zinc and copper
 splints and access to a lighted Bunsen
E3b Investigate: Tin cans
For each group
 2 test tubes
 samples of fruits and
 2 spatulas vegetables, e.g. lemons,
 citric acid crystals onions, carrots, tomatoes,
 iron powder rhubarb, apples
 tin powder
 pestle and mortar
 knife
 spotting tile
 chopping board
 glass rod or ceramic tile
 dropper pipette
Lesson E4: Acids attack carbonates
Starter activities
Brainstorming
 indoor firework or sparkler and matches;
 heatproof mat
Capture interest
 2 test tubes in rack;
 ‘sherbet’ powder made by mixing equal quantities of powdered citric acid and sodium
hydrogen carbonate;
 water and dropper;
 limestone (or marble) chips on a watch glass;
 dilute (0.4 mol/dm3) hydrochloric acid
 dropper
This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.
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Technicians’ lists of equipment
Downloaded from www.catalystscience.co.uk
Catalyst 3, Unit E:
Reactions of metals and
metal compounds
Main activities
E4a Making copper sulphate
For each group
 copper carbonate
 0.4 mol/dm3 sulphuric acid
 spatula
 thermometer
 beaker, 100 ml measuring cylinder
 filter funnel and paper, evaporating dish
 beaker of size suitable for water bath
 heating apparatus: Bunsen, tripod, mat, gauze
 samples of copper sulphate crystals (to look at) of varying size if possible
 Extension pupils may request a stopclock
Demo (optional)
 Datalogger and temperature probe
Lesson E5: Acids and metal oxides
Starter activities
Problem solving
range of packaging showing labels of salts that the pupils will recognise
(metal carbonates, chlorides, sulphates and nitrates)
e.g. fertilisers, shower gels, deodorants, shampoos, bubble baths, medicines, table salts
Capture interest
 2 beakers of 0.4 mol/dm3 hydrochloric acid
 corroded iron items, e.g. rusty nails
 dirty, dull copper coins
 forceps
 watch glass
 goggles
Main activities
E5a Oxides and acids
For each group:
 copper oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide
 0.4 mol/dm3 sulphuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid
 test tubes, racks, spatulas
 thermometer
This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.
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Technicians’ lists of equipment
Downloaded from www.catalystscience.co.uk
Catalyst 3, Unit E:
Reactions of metals and
metal compounds
Lesson E5 Investigate: Making salts
Starter activities
Introduce the apparatus
 calcium carbonate powder on watch glass
 measuring cylinder and beaker
 dilute hydrochloric acid (0.4 mol/dm3)
 spatula and glass rod
 filter funnel
 paper
 evaporating basin
 heating apparatus
 goggles
Main activities
E5c Investigate: Making salts
For each group:
 test tubes, rack, dropping pipettes, spatulas, glass rods
 0.4 mol/dm3 hydrochloric and sulphuric acid, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide
 copper oxide, copper carbonate, zinc carbonate, magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate,
copper, zinc
 Universal indicator paper and charts, white tile
 beaker, evaporating dish and beaker suitable for water bath, filter funnel and paper, Bunsen,
tripod, gauze, mat
For extension:
 0.8 mol sodium hydroxide. This is to ensure equal quantities of acid and alkali can be used.
(It is
ideal to test it out before the lesson.)
This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.
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