SNC 1D
Physical Properties Lab
Name: ___________________
Before commencing the lab:
Answer questions 2 a, 4, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23. You may need to use a dictionary
in addition to the glossary in your text.
Review the physical properties in the tables on pages 150 and 151.
Qualitative physical properties include colour, texture, state (solid, liquid, gas),
hardness, malleability, smell, ductility, crystal shape, lustre, and so on. Use some of
these terms to answer questions 1 to 3.
Station 1
1 a. Describe some of the physical properties of each of these substances.
b. Try to identify each of the substances.
Station 2
2. a. Define “lustre”.
b. Describe some of the physical properties of each of these substances.
c. Try to identify each of the substances.
Station 3
3. a. Describe some of the physical properties of each of these substances.
b. Try to identify each of the substances.
Station 4
4.  Define "ductility".
2.
5. What single word would be good for describing the opposite of ductile?
Do not use the word "ductile" in your answer.
6. List the substances at this station in order from least to most ductile.
Station 5
7.  Define "hardness". (Do not use the word "hard" in your answer.)
8. How is the hardness of two substances compared?
9. What does it mean when one substance can scratch a mark on a second?
10 a. Scratch all the substances in pairs and record the results here:
b. Based on your results, list the substances at this station in order from softest to
hardest. (You can do this without trying every possible combination.)
Station 6
11.  Define "malleability".
12. What single word would be good for describing the opposite of malleable?
Do not use "malleable" in your answer.
13. List the substances at this station in order from least to most malleable.
14. Are malleable substances always softer than non-malleable substances?
Station 7
15.  Define "solubility".
3.
16. Which is more soluble in water, salt or cornstarch?
Station 8
Look at salt, sugar, and at least one other substance under the microscope.
17. Use words and a sketch to describe the crystal form of
a. salt
b. sugar
c. _________________ (the other substance)
18. Describe any other physical properties (in addition to crystal form) you can observe
for each of the substances at this station.
Station 9
19.  Define "viscosity".
4.
20. a. Record the relative fall times of the marbles through the fluids:
(i.e. which falls the fastest and so on)
b. Based on your results, list the substances in order from least to most viscous.
Station 10
23. Define "density".
24. How can you estimate density by hand, without any equipment?
25. What one quantity needs to be similar about the objects for this method to work?
26. Arrange the substances at this station in order of increasing density.
(The teacher will have to get the mercury for you. Do not open the container.)
Application Questions Consider physical properties.
5.
1. What specific physical property is described by each of the following statements?
Refer to the tables on pages 150 and 151 if necessary.
a) Copper can be bent into different shapes.
b) A steel blade can scratch glass.
c) Alcohol boils at 60 oC.
d) Sugar looks like small parallelograms under a microscope.
e) A nickel coin is shiny.
2. A small piece of birch wood floats in Lake Ontario. If you tested bigger and bigger
pieces of birch wood until you had a whole tree trunk, would they eventually sink?
Read about density in the text and then explain your answer.
3. a. Why is aluminum used to build aircraft instead of steel?
b) Why isn't sodium used for building aircraft? (see p. 209)
c) Why isn't Styrofoam used for building aircraft?
4. What physical properties could you use to separate a mixture of iron filings, sand,
and salt? Describe how you would go about it.