Identify Chemical Bonds Lab
Name:______________________________ Period:____
Background:
[Compare and contrast the difference between ionic and covalent bonds and its properties]
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Materials:
clear spot plates (2)
aluminum foil
toothpicks
ring stand
Pre-lab Questions:
Candle
Water
Ethanol
iron ring
sucrose
table salt
potassium iodide
calcium chloride
boric acid
dextrose
1. How many compounds are we testing in this lab? __________________________
2. How much of each compound should you get?______________________________
Procedure:
Part 1: Order of Melting
1. Before you begin, write a brief description of each of the six substances in your data table (what
do they look like).
2. Label the aluminum foil so you know where the compounds are. Do not allow the samples of
crystals to touch. Record the position of the compounds on the diagram.
3. Use the small plastic spatula to get 1 scoop of each compound on your aluminum foil.
4. Position the ring so that it is just above the tip of a candle flame (as close as possible)
5. Watch your substances to see what melts first, mark this as 1 under order of melting. Continue
to mark the elements in the order that they start to melt.
5. Not all of your elements will melt! If they don’t melt it’s probably ionic bond compounds.
After 10 min, record an N/A in your data table for each substance that did not melt. Extinguish the
candle flame. Allow the aluminum foil to cool while you complete part 2 of the experiment.
Part 2: Solubility (soluble means it dissolves, insoluble means it doesn’t dissolve)
6. Get all six compounds into each of your plates.
7. Add water to each well, fill it up till about half of the well. Use the toothpick to stir and record the solubility of each substance in
your data table. Yes dissolved or no didn’t dissolved.
8. Add ethanol to each well, fill it up till about half of the well in the second plate. Use the toothpick to stir and record the solubility
of each substance in your data table. Yes dissolved or no didn’t dissolved.
Cleanup and Disposal
9. Dispose of the aluminum foil in the trash
Dump the compounds in the trash and rinse it with water in the sink.
Return the candles
Clean up your station and wipe your table.
Wash your hands thoroughly before you leave the lab and after all work is finished.
Diagram of Aluminum Foil and Compound Position
Diagram of the Compounds on your Plate
Data Table:
Compound
Calcium chloride
Description
Order of melting
Solubility in water
Solubility in ethanol
Boric acid
Dextrose
Potassium iodide
Table salt
Sucrose
Conclusion:
1. Write a statement to summarize the properties of ionic compounds.
2. Write a statement to summarize the properties of covalent compounds.
3. Which substances that you tested in the lab were ionic and which were covalent. Explain your answers using data.
4. Which samples will conduct electricity? Explain why some conduct electricity and others will not?
5. Explain why relative melting point was a good method for determining ionic versus covalent compounds.