Introduction
Myth Busters test myths and theories to see if they could be plausible or not
plausible. They run experiments using what they know about the theory and try to reenact
it. If the theory works then it is the truth. This is much like this experiment, which will
be testing the solubility chart. Elements and compounds on the solubility chart will be
mixed with a solution to see if a solution forms. If it does the solubility chart will be
accurate. The following information will be used in this experiment. Solubility is the
property of a solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical substance that dissolves in a liquid
solvent to form a homogeneous solution. A precipitate is a solid that forms out of a
solution. If test for solubility are observed, then information on the solubility chart will be
replicated.
Materials and Methods
All of the chemicals were retrieved. One drop of Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) was added to 5
cells in a cell well. The color was observed and recorded on the table. One drop of
Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) was added to the first cell. The observations were recorded. One
drop of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added to another cell with the silver nitrate, and
the observations were recorded. Five drops of sodium hydroxide were added to another
cell, and the observations recorded. One drop of ammonium hydroxide was added to
another cell and the observation was recorded. Five drops of ammonium hydroxide were
added to the last cell and the observations were recorded. In another clean row of cells,
One drop of zinc was added to 5 clean cell wells. The color was observed and recorded
on the table. One drop of Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) was added to the first cell. The
observations were recorded. One drop of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added to
another cell with the silver nitrate, and the observations were recorded. Five drops of
sodium hydroxide were added to another cell, and the observations recorded. One drop
of ammonium hydroxide was added to another cell and the observation was recorded.
Five drops of ammonium hydroxide were added to the last cell and the observations were
recorded. In another clean row of cells, One drop of copper was added to each cell. The
color was observed and recorded on the table. One drop of Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) was
added to the first cell. The observations were recorded. One drop of sodium hydroxide
(NaOH) was added to another cell with the silver nitrate, and the observations were
recorded. Five drops of sodium hydroxide were added to another cell, and the
observations recorded. One drop of ammonium hydroxide was added to another cell and
the observation was recorded. Five drops of ammonium hydroxide were added to the last
cell and the observations were recorded. In another clean row of cells, One drop of lead
was added to each cell. The color was observed and recorded on the table. One drop of
Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) was added to the first cell. The observations were recorded. One
drop of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added to another cell with the silver nitrate, and
the observations were recorded. Five drops of sodium hydroxide were added to another
cell, and the observations recorded. One drop of ammonium hydroxide was added to
another cell and the observation was recorded. Five drops of ammonium hydroxide were
added to the last cell and the observations were recorded. In another clean row of cells,
One drop of nickel was added to each cell. The color was observed and recorded on the
table. One drop of Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) was added to the first cell. The observations
were recorded. One drop of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added to another cell with
the silver nitrate, and the observations were recorded. Five drops of sodium hydroxide
were added to another cell, and the observations recorded. One drop of ammonium
hydroxide was added to another cell and the observation was recorded. Five drops of
ammonium hydroxide were added to the last cell and the observations were recorded. In
another clean row of cells, One drop of iron was added to each cell. The color was
observed and recorded on the table. One drop of Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) was added to
the first cell. The observations were recorded. One drop of sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
was added to another cell with the silver nitrate, and the observations were recorded.
Five drops of sodium hydroxide were added to another cell, and the observations
recorded. One drop of ammonium hydroxide was added to another cell and the
observation was recorded. Five drops of ammonium hydroxide were added to the last
cell and the observations were recorded.
Results
Metal
Nitrate
Silver
Zinc
Copper
Color
H2SO4
NaOH (1)
Clear
Clear
Light Blue
White,
clear
Blue/Green
Clear
Nothing, Clear
Nothing Happened
Nothing Happened
fizzed and turned
white
Nothing happened
Clear, nothing
Brown Precipitate
Jelly White precipitate
Turned blue
Turns white then goes
away
Jelly formed
Gold Precipitate
Lead
Nickel
Iron
Continued
Metal Nitrate
Silver
Zinc
Copper
Lead
Nickel
Iron
NH4OH (1)
clear, nothing happened
mostly white precipitate
turned dark blue/purple
Chunky precipitate
turned slightly cloudy
Gold Precipitate
NH4OH (5)
Clear, Nothing happened
Some precipitate, mostly
clear
turned blue
Grainy precipitate
turned slightly cloudy
turned slight gold
NaOH (5)
Formed brown
Precipitate
Clear, some precipitate
turned very light blue
turnes white, goes away
turned light white
Slightly gold
Unknown
Unknown
A
Color
Bluish
green
H2SO4
NaOH (1)
No change Bluish
NaOH (5)
Bluish ppt
Unknown
B
colorless
colorless
colorless
colorless
NH4OH(1) NH4OH(5)
Bluish ppt Slightly
blueish
ppt
Bluish
Bluish
clear ppt
clear ppt
Conclusion
In the first experiment H2SO4 was added to the six metals. The only metal that
formed a precipitate was the lead nitrate. The product was nitric acid and lead sulfate.
The molecular equation for this precipitate is the following.
H2SO4 + Pb(NO3)2  HNO3 + PbSO4
The net ionic equation is this.
Pb+2 + SO4 -2  PbSO4
In the Second and third experiment NaOH was added to six metals. In both
experiments, all six metals formed a precipitate, therefore all of these disproved the
solubility chart. The first metal was silver nitrate. The product was sodium nitrate and
silver hydroxide. The second metal was zinc nitrate. The product was zinc hydroxide and
sodium nitrate. The third metal was copper nitrate. The product was sodium nitrate and
copper hydroxide. The fourth metal was lead nitrate. The product was sodium nitrate and
lead hydroxide. The fifth metal was nickel nitrate. The product was sodium nitrate and
nickel hydroxide. Finally iron nitrate. The product was sodium nitrate and iron
hydroxide.
The fourth and fifth experiment NH4OH was added to the six metals. The only
metal out of the six that proved the solubility chart right was silver which had no
precipitate. Zinc on the other hand produced a precipitate. Its product was zinc hydroxide
and ammonium nitrate. Copper, lead, nickel, and iron all had a precipitate. Copper’s
product was copper hydroxide and ammonium nitrate. Lead produced lead hydroxide and
ammonium nitrate. Nickel produced nickel hydroxide and ammonium nitrate. Iron
produced iron hydroxide and ammonium nitrate.
The unknown experiment was next. The unknowns were tested just like it was
done with the other metals. For unknown A it produced a precipitate with NaOH and
NH4OH. The conclusion was made that it was Nickel because it had the same bluish
green color to it, and it reacted with the same compounds that nickel did. For Unknown B
it produced precipitates with NH4OH. It was concluded this unknown was copper
because they reacted similarly with the compounds it was mixed with.
The purpose this lab was to see if the solubility chart is correct by testing if a
precipitate could be formed to replicate the solubility chart. In this lab a color change
meant that a precipitate was formed. It was concluded that the solubility chart was not
plausible. The test and experiments that were run proved this. Just like in myth busters
test and experiments were run to find the true answers to ideas and theories.