Laboratory work

 

Chemical bonding

Purpose of the work:

 The purpose of this lab is to compare the properties of ionic and covalent compounds.

 

Materials:    

·         6 test tubes with test tube rack

·         Bunsen Burner

·         Microtitration plate

·         Distilled water

·         Wooden splints

·         Conductivity meter

·         Ethanol

·         Sodium chloride NaCl

·         Oxalic Acid C2H2O4

·         Cobalt (II) sulfate CoSO4

·         Nickel (II) chloride NiCl2

·         Starch C6H10O5

·         Sucrose C12H22O11
            

Procedures:

1.      Place six test tubes in a test tube rack and add a few crystals of each substance (see chart for substances) to a different test tube. Make sure to label what is in each test tube by placing a paper underneath the rack or your own method. Record their description and the chemical formula in the table.

2.      Take each test tube and hold over a Bunsen Burner watching the clock to determine how long it takes to start to melt. Maximum time should be 2 minutes. It is very important that you remove the test tube from the heat as soon as it starts to melt; otherwise you will not be able to clean it out. Record the time it started to melt or that it did not melt in data table.

3.      Using a microtitration plate add a few crystals of each substance to its own spot making sure to label on a paper where they are located or use the numbering system that may be on the plate. Add distilled water until it is almost to the top of the depression and stir with a wooden splint; record if the substance dissolves. Do not discard, as you will need them for number four.

4.      Using conductivity meter check each sample from number three, record your results by counting the number of blinks per twenty seconds. Clean meter in between each chemical.

5.      Repeat step number three replacing water with ethanol. Do not do step number four with the ethanol.

6.      Clean up, everything can be rinsed down the sink, wash all items with soap. Put everything away where you got it.

Questions:

1.      Determine which of the groups consists of ionic compounds and which consists of molecular compounds.

a)      Write a general statement to summarize the properties of ionic compounds. Include state at room temperature, melting pint, conductivity of aqueous solution, and solubility in water.

b)      b. Write another general statement to summarize the properties of molecular compounds.  Include state at room temperature, melting pint, conductivity of aqueous solution, and solubility in water.

2.      How is melting point related to the strength of attractive forces between the particles of a compound?  Which are stronger, ionic bonds or intermolecular forces?  Which have higher melting points, ionic compounds or molecular compounds?

3.      Compare and contrast the appearance of covalent and ionic compounds.  When observing the substances with the hand lens, what properties do you notice that you could not see with your naked eye?

4.      Imagine looking at the substances under a microscope. What do you think the substances might look like on that level?