Lab Report: Who Poisoned Buzz
Lightyear?
By Micheal Raines
Introduction
 After inviting many famous guests over, Buzz Lightyear has
been found poisoned. Several items were found at the crime
scene: a liquid, a wrap, powder, and a hot dog. All guests
were required to bring a liquid, a wrap, powder, and a hot
dog with them. If the items found match with the items
brought by a guest, we will know who poisoned Buzz
Lightyear. A group of students have been brought in to
identify the properties of the items in order to compare them
with the properties of the crime scene items.
Suspects
Suspect
Drink
Wrap
Powder
Hot Dog
Wicked Witch
Water
Zinc
Ascorbic Acid
Fat Free
Snow White
Alcohol
Sulfur
Ascorbic Acid
Light Pork
Daffy Duck
Grape Drink
Plastic
Sodium
Polyacrylate
Pork
Shrek
Water
Iron
Sucrose
Fat Free
Dorothy
SaltWater
Aluminum
Baking Soda
Pork
Princess Leia
Vinegar
Iron
Ascorbic Acid
Light Pork
Harry Potter
Lemonade
Copper
Sucrose
Light Pork
Jimmy Neutron
Water
Iron
Sodium
Polyacrylate
Pork
IckyVicky
Vinegar
Aluminum
Ascorbic Acid
Light Pork
Darth Vader
Salt Water
Aluminum
Sodium
Chloride
Fat Free
Lord Voldemort
Salt Water
Zinc
Baking Soda
Fat Free
Goofy
Alcohol
Copper
Sodium
Chloride
Pork
Ariel
Water
Iron
Sucrose
Pork
Suspects (continued)
Suspect
Drink
Wrap
Powder
Hot Dog
Ursula
Alcohol
Plastic
Sodium
Polyacrylate
Fat Free
Donkey
Vinegar
Copper
Sodium Chloride
Light Pork
Prince Charming
Salt Water
Aluminum
Baking Soda
Fat Free
Nancy Drew
Salt Water
Iron
Sodium Chloride
Pork
Sponge Bob
Water
Zinc
Sucrose
Pork
Dora
Salt Water
Zinc
Baking Soda
Light Pork
Luke Skywalker
Salt Water
Aluminum
Sodium
Polyacrylate
Fat Free
Hypothesis
 If the properties of Lord Voldemort’s items are the same as
the properties of the crime scene items, then he is the one
who poisoned Buzz Lightyear, because that means it was his
materials found at the crime scene.
Materials
 Liquids: Pure water, alcohol, salt water, vinegar, grape drink,




lemonade with pulp, and the unidentified crime scene liquid.
Wraps: Chips of zinc, sulfur powder, sheets of plastic, chips of
iron, chips of aluminum, chips of copper, and the unidentified
crime scene wrap.
Powders: Ascorbic acid, sodium polyacrylate, sucrose, baking
soda, sodium chloride, and the unidentified crime scene liquid.
Hot Dogs: Fat free, light pork, pork, and the unidentified crime
scene hot dog.
Testing Materials: Plastic graduated cylinder, a book of matches,
hydrochloric acid, a testing plate, paper cups, a conductivity
meter, a mass scale, two tweezers, water, a hot plate, iodine, paper
towels, a glass cup, and a liquid dropper.
Procedure
I. Research (through any means available) the composition of each item, including the crime scene materials. (pure
substance or mixture, homogeneous or heterogeneous, element or compound.)
II. Discover the properties of each liquid, including the crime scene liquid: these properties are physical, (density,
conductivity, color, and odor.) and chemical. (flammability and reactivity.)

1. Put each liquid in a graduated cylinder partway filled with water in order to discover its density; if it sinks
below the water, it is more than one; if it rises above the water, it is less than one. Water as a suspect item is
automatically one.

2. Pour each liquid into a different pool on the testing plate.

3. Observe and record each liquid’s visible characteristics.

4. Observe and record each liquid’s color.

5. Observe each liquid’s odor; to smell the odor, waft each liquid’s scent towards your nose and intake the smell.

6. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each liquid, one at a time; when the meter lights up,
observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its conductivity.

7. Light several matches and stick one into each liquid, if it catches fire, then it is flammable; if it does not, then it
is inflammable.

8. Pour some hydrochloric acid (WARNING: DO NOT TOUCH.) into a glass cup, squeeze some into the liquid
dropper, squeeze a drop into each liquid, and see if it reacts.
Procedure (continued)
III. Discover the properties of each wrap, including the crime scene wrap: these properties are physical,
(density, conductivity, malleability, and luster.) and chemical. (reactivity.)
1. Place each wrap into a pool on the testing plate.
2. Observe and record each wrap’s visible characteristics.
3. Take the two tweezers and, one at a time, try to bend each wrap with them by holding using the
tweezers, and applying pressure. If it bends, it is malleable; if it does not, it is not malleable. Sulfur
is not malleable by default, as it is in small, brittle, pieces.
4. Observe each wrap; if it shines, it has luster; if it is dull, it has no luster.
5. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each wrap, one at a time; when the meter lights
up, observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its
conductivity.
6. Squeeze a drop of hydrochloric acid on each wrap, and see if it reacts.
7. Test each wrap’s mass on the mass scale, then fill the graduated cylinder to a specific mark with
water, after which you drop a wrap into the cylinder. See how much the water’s gone up, and
subtract the original volume to get the wrap’s volume (in between each volume test you will need
to empty out the cylinder to get back the wrap, and then refill it with water, and drop in a
different wrap.) Divide each wrap’s mass by its volume to get the density.
Procedure (continued)
IV. Discover the properties of each powder, including the crime scene powder; these
properties are physical, (solubility, conductivity, and melting.) and chemical.
(flammability and reactivity.)
1. Place each powder into a pool on the testing plate.
2. Observe and record each powder’s visible characteristics.
3. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each powder, one at a time; when the
meter lights up, observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light
says about its conductivity.
4. Squeeze a drop of hydrochloric acid on each powder, and see if it reacts.
5. Light several matches and stick one into each powder, if it catches fire, then it is
flammable; if it does not, then it is inflammable.
6. Pour a powder onto a hot plate, one at a time, and activate the hot plate. If it melts, it can
be melted; if it doesn’t, it cannot be melted. Repeat after each test for all powders.
7. Pour some more of a powder, one at a time, into a cup full of water. If it dissolves, it is
soluble; if it doesn’t dissolve, it is insoluble. Repeat after each test for all powders.
Procedure (continued)
V. Discover the properties of each hot dog, including the crime scene hot dog; these properties are physical, (presqueeze mass, post-squeeze mass, conductivity, and density.) and chemical. (reactivity.)
1. Place each hot dog into a pool on the testing plate.
2. Observe and record each hot dog’s visible characteristics.
3. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each hot dog, one at a time; when the meter lights up, observe
the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its conductivity.
4. Squeeze a drop of hydrochloric acid on each hot dog, and see if it reacts.
5. Test each hot dog’s mass on the mass scale, then fill the graduated cylinder to a specific mark with water, after
which you drop each hot dog into the cylinder, one at a time. See how much the water’s gone up, and subtract
the original volume to get the hot dog’s volume (in between each volume test you will need to empty out the
cylinder to get back the hot dog, and then refill it with water.) Divide each hot dog’s mass by its volume to get
the density.
6. Place a hot dog on the mass scale, and determine its mass; repeat with the other hot dogs.
7. Place a hot dog in a paper towel, and use the paper towel to squeeze all of the juices out of the hot dog; repeat with
the other hot dogs.
8. Place the remains of a hot dog (including the skin.) onto the mass scale once more, and record its mass. Repeat for
all other squeezed hot dogs.
Procedure (continued)
 VI. Review the data, and see which material’s properties are
the same as the crime scene materials, which you should have
been testing with the other materials. After that, see which
suspect has those materials.
Data
Drinks
Observations
Pure or
Mixture
Homogeneous
or
Heterogeneous
Element or
Compound
Pure Water
Clear, wet
pure
n/a
compound
Rubbing
Alcohol
Clear, wet
mixture
homo
n/a
Salt Water
Murky, wet,
salty
mixture
hetero
n/a
Vinegar
Clear, wet
musky
mixture
homo
n/a
Grape Drink
Purple,
translucent
mixture
hetero
n/a
Lemonade with
Pulp
Murky, yellow
mixture
hetero
n/a
Crime Scene
Liquid
Clear, wet
pure
n/a
compound
Data (continued)
Wrap
Observations
Pure or Mixture
Homogeneous or
Heterogeneous
Element or
Compound
Plastic
Purple, smooth,
rigid
mixture
homo
n/a
Aluminum
Small, shiny, flat
pure
n/a
element
Zinc
Shiny, grey, flat,
smooth
pure
n/a
element
Copper
Dull, brown,
small, smooth
pure
n/a
element
Iron
Grey, shiny, small
pure
n/a
element
Sulfur
Smelly, dull,
yellow
pure
n/a
element
Crime Scene
Wrap
Shiny, grey, small
pure
n/a
element
Data (continued)
Powder
Observations
Pure or Mixture
Homogeneous or
Heterogeneous
Element or
Compound
Sucrose
Coarse, white
mixture
homo
n/a
Baking Soda
Clumped,
white, powdery
mixture
homo
n/a
Sodium
Polyacrylate
Coarse, white
mixture
homo
n/a
Ascorbic Acid
Orange-white,
clumped
mixture
homo
n/a
Sodium
Chloride
Coarse, white
mixture
homo
n/a
Crime Scene
Powder
Coarse, white
mixture
homo
n/a
Data (continued)
Hot Dog
Observations
Pure or Mixture
Homogeneous or
Heterogeneous
Element or
Compound
Pork
Skin colored,
smooth
mixture
homo
n/a
Light Pork
Brown-orange,
smooth
mixture
homo
n/a
Fat Free
Light brown,
smooth
mixture
homo
n/a
Crime Scene
Hot Dog
Skin colored,
smooth
mixture
homo
n/a
Data (continued)
Drinks
Density
Conductivity
Color
Odor
Flammability
Chemical
Water
1
high
clear
nothing
non
no
Alcohol
Less than 1
low
clear
bitter
yes
no
Salt Water
More than 1
very high
clear
nothing
non
no
Vinegar
Less than 1
high
clear
sour
non
yes
Grape Drink
More than 1
very high
purple
grape scent
non
yes
Lemonade
with Pulp
More than 1
high
yellow
lemonade
scent
non
yes
Crime Scene
Liquid
1
high
clear
nothing
non
no
Data (continued)
Wrap
Malleability
Luster
Density
Conductivity
Reactivity
Zinc
yes
yes
1.8 g/ml
very high
no
Sulfur
no
no
1.75 g/ml
none
no
Plastic
yes
med
0.2 g/ml
none
no
Iron
yes
yes
3 g/ml
very high
yes
Aluminum
yes
yes
2 g/ml
high
somewhat
Copper
somewhat
no
3 g/ml
very high
no
Crime Scene
Wrap
yes
yes
3 g/ml
very high
yes
Data (continued)
Powder
Solubility
Melting
Conductivity
Reactivity
Flammability
Ascorbic Acid
no
yes
medium
no
no
Sodium Chlorine
yes
no
high
no
no
Sucrose
yes
yes
low
no
no (yellowed a
bit)
Baking Soda
yes
no
very high
yes
no
Sodium Polyacrylate
no (water was
absorbed)
no
very high
Yes (it
hardens)
no
Crime Scene Powder
yes
yes
low
no
no
Data (continued)
Hot Dog
Pre-squeeze
mass
Post-squeeze
mass
conductivity
density
reactivity
Pork
8.9 g
8.5 g
high
1.001 g/ml
yes
(blackened)
Light Pork
11.7 g
10.8 g
light
1.063 g/ml
no
Fat Free
9.6 g
8g
high
1.06 g/ml
yes
(blackened)
Crime Scene
Mass
9.2 g
8.5 g
high
1.001 g/ml
yes
(blackened)
Data (continued)
Density in g/ml
1.07
1.06
1.05
1.04
1.03
1.02
1.01
1
0.99
0.98
0.97
Hot Dogs
Pork
Fat
Free
Light Crime
Pork Scene
Liquid
Conclusion
 The student’s hypothesis was incorrect; Lord Voldemort did not poison Buzz
Lightyear, as my data shows. The student now knows that if the properties of
Ariel’s items are the same as the properties of the items found at the crime
scene, then it was she who poisoned Buzz, as that means it was her items found
at the crime scene. The student was right about how, ”if certain items’
properties match the crime scene items’ properties, then that person is guilty,”
as Ariel’s items match the crime scene items, making her guilty. An interesting
point in the data is that the crime scene materials’ properties didn’t exactly
match with Ariel’s, but were close enough so that they were her items. I
attribute this to the laws of unpredictability.
Conclusion (continued)
 Some of the limitations of the student’s equipment were that the student
couldn’t squeeze all of the juice out of a hot dog with a paper towel.
Furthermore, the student could not figure out the exact density of the crime
scene wrap, as the mass scale recorded it as zero grams. However, the student
knew that the other properties matched iron, so we recorded the density as
about the same. Since this student’s experiment was to simply discover who
tried to murder Buzz Lightyear, the student can only think of one other
experiment: What did the suspect poison Buzz with? This student discovered the
following facts about hydrochloric acid, the acid used to discover an object’s
reactivity, ” Hydrochloric Acid… is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid… is
one of the least hazardous strong acids to handle.“ This student found this out
here:
 Hydrochloric Acid, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation,
Inc. September 26th 2010, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrochloric acid
The End