Lab Experiment 4: Observing the Malleability of Paperclips

September 23, 2008 Observing the Malleability of Paperclips Julie Anne A.


Day 1, Period 4


Purpose: To observe how many bends it takes for a paperclip to break without any treatment;
after being heated then cooled slowly; and after being heated and rapidly cooled by
plunging it to a beaker with cold water.


Materials:

• a big paper clip



• bunsen burner



• 100 mL cold water in a beaker

Procedure:

1. Straighten the paper clip by undoing its curves.



2. Bend the straightened paper clip backwards and forwards. Then, count how many bends it took for the paper clip to break in half.



3. Heat the half of the paper clip in a bunsen burner with a roaring flame for 10 seconds or until it glows. Then, put that paper clip in the beaker with cold water and wait for it to cool.



4. Take the other half and heat it again for 10 seconds with the roaring flame in the bunsen burner. Then , put it on the safety mat and wait till it cools.



5. When both of the paper clips cooled, take one and give the other one to your lab partner and do the procedures 1 and 2 again.



6. Record your observations.

Data and Observations:

1.) Paper clip without any treatment

Number of Bends: 6 bends

Before: The half paper clip was hard and pointy. It could poke and wound you. It didn't have odour. it felt a bit smooth but there were a lot of little bends on it.

After: When I bend and bend and bend the straightened paperclip, the spot where i bet it sort of lose its color. After losing its color, it breaks.

2) Paper clip plunged in water

Number of Bends: 101

Before: Refer to number 1 for the description.

After: It was a bit cold. It was hard and difficult to bend at first. However, as you continuously bend on the same spot, it kind of softens. My lab partner had a hard time bending it.

3) Paper clip cooled slowly

Number of Bends: 24

Before: Kindly refer to number 1 for the description.

After: It had this yellowy orangy faint colour to it. I think it's probably because of the heat that was applied to it. The heat, i think, caused chemical change. Surprisingly, while i was heating it, it didn't smell. I thought it would. When I was bending it, it was not as hard as the other clips. I think it's because the particles still had a little bit of space than usual due to the heat that was applied. It was easy to bend.

Questions:

Analyze p. 24

1. You compared the flexibilityof a metal wire that was heated and allowed to cool slowly with the flexibility of another that was cooled rapidly.

a) Which treatment resulted in a wire that was hard and brittle?

The rapid cooling resulted in a hard and brittle wire.

b) Which treatment resulted in a wire that was more flexible?
The wire that slowly cooled resulted in a more flexible wire.

Conclude and Apply p. 24

1. Write a short paragraph explaining the effect that hardening and heating can have on a metal?

Heating and hardening can affect the malleability of metal. If you heat a metal, its particles slowly move apart from each other and if it reaches the boiling point of the metal, it would turn to liquid. If you cooled the liquified metal very very very slowly, it will be hard and difficult to bend. However, if you slowly cooled it and took it when you felt that it was okay to touch even if there was a tiny bit of heat in it and bend it again, it would be flexible because of the heat left in it On the other hand, if you rapidly cooled the liquified metal, putting it in a cold water, for instance, it would turn out hard but brittle because the particles had no time to slowly stick together. The cold water quickly slows down the kinetic energy of particles, stiffening the metal.

Conclusion:

I thought the slowly cooled paper clip would be more hard to bend than the one rapidly cooled but I got the opposite results. We had different results than my other classmates. For my classmates, the slowly cooled paper clip was harder to bend than the rapidly cooled one. I think it was our fault why that happened. The rapidly cooled one had more time to cool than the one that slowly cooled. So, the one plunged in water had time for its particles to stick together again after being heated. Basically for the one slowly cooled, I just grabbed it when I felt that there was not that much heat in it and started bending it. It was easy to bend; easier than the rapidly cooled half. While I was bending it, the particles of that paper clip had a little bit space than usual because some of the heat was still trapped inside so it was still a bit flexible and easy to bend. I am contented with the results we got because we had a unique result! During this experiment, I learned that even a little bit cooling time difference between the two halves of paper clips would give us a totally different result.

Lab Experiment 2: The Heating Curve of Water

This is the Heating Curve of Water Chart

Lab Experiment 3: Having Fun With Chemicals

September 17, 2008 Having Fun With Chemicals Julie Anne A.
Day 1, Period 4


Purpose: To play and have fun with chemicals by combining them. Also, to determine whether a physical or chemical changes have occurred.

Materials:
5 sets of 3 mL dilute sulphuric acid
1/2 spatula copper carbonate
3 mL sodium hydroxide solution
3 mL vinegar
1/2 spatula bicarbonate of soda
1/2 spatula copper oxide
3 mL potassium iodide solution
copper foil
iron nail
2 cm magnesium ribbon
1 spatula iron fillings

Procedure: Combine the chemicals as written on the sheet that was given.



Data and Observations:

1.) 3 mL dilute sulphuric acid + 1/2 spatula copper carbonate
Before: The sulphuric acid was very clear and wasn’t very viscous. It had no odour and it was as clear as water. Copper carbonate was a green powder that looked like flour except for the colour of it. When one of my classmates was pouring it into the test tube, it wouldn't just flow gracefully, he had to give it a little shake in order for it to fall.

After: Sulphuric acid became a cloudy green mixture. The copper carbonate dissolved in the sulphuric acid and it looked like it had been liquified. Also, it stayed at the bottom. I saw like a water and oil effect between these two chemicals. The sulphuric acid was at the top of the mixture but the liquefied copper carbonate stayed at the bottom of the test tube. It still didn’t have odour.

***This is the result of the combination of sulphuric acid and copper carbonate.

Is new substance made? Yes, considering that the mixture turned cloudish green.
Type of Change: Chemical

2.) 3 mL dilute sulphuric acid + 3 mL sodium hydroxide solution
Before: For the description of the sulphuric acid, refer to number 1. The sodium hydroxide solution was not viscous. It looked like water but it had a brownish tint to it. However, you can still look through it. It had no odour.
After: Nothing interesting happened but if you look at the mixture, you wouldn't be able to recognize the sulphuric acid. The mixture had this brownish tint and it had no odor and it was not very viscous.

***You can't really see the brownish tint here because it's too faint and even if the camera is on burst, it still gave off light so maybe, that contributed to why the brownish tint cannot be seen.
Is a new substance made? Yes
Type of Change: Chemical

3.) 3 mL vinegar + 1/2 spatula of bicarbonate soda
Before: The vinegar flows very well and it was almost as clear as water except for these microscopic things floating it in. It's probably pulps of something. It had a very strong smell. Baking soda was a white powder and it had no odour. Also, it looked rough to me.
After: The mixture fizzed and rose out the test tube. The vinegar looked cloudy due to some dissolved baking soda and the fizzing effect. It also lost its odour. The baking soda settled at the bottom of the test tube and some dissolved.

***My lab partner and I didn't have the time to discuss what was happening because the battery of the camera was dieing and I didn't expect that the mixture will actually rise that high. I expected it to rise but I didn't expect it to rise above the test tube. Maybe, it's because of the amount of baking soda that my lab partner put in. (I really hope that we're not breaking any lab safety rules here.)

Is a new substance made? Yes
Type of Change: Chemical due to bubbles

4.) 3 mL sulphuric acid + 1/2 spatula copper oxide
Before: Refer to #1 for the description of sulphuric acid. Copper oxide is a black powder with fine grains but not as fine as copper carbonate. It had no odour and it looked rough to me.
After: The mixture turned black and some of the copper oxide dissolved while some settled at the bottom and I think I saw some of it on top of the mixture. The mixture had no odour you can see bits of grains in it.
***This is the result of sulphuric acid and copper oxide. I suppose that the black lining on top of the mixture is some copper oxide.
Is a new substance made?Yes
Type of Change: Chemical



5.) 3 mL lead nitrate solution + 3 mL potassium iodide solution
Before: The lead nitrate solution was a clear fluid and it was not viscous. It was as clear as water and it had no odour. The potassium iodide had a very faint color and it had no odour. It flows well too.
After: The mixture turned very bright yellow, brighter than potassium iodide and brighter than I have expected. It also thickened. It was as if powder had been added to it. It had no odour.
***This is the result of the mixture of lead nitrate and potassium iodide. I didn't think that it would look that thick.
Is a new substance made? Yes
Type of Change: Chemical



6.) 3 mL sulphuric acid + copper foil
Before: Refer to #1 for the description of sulphuric acid. The copper foil looked flimsy. It was coloured bronze and it had no odour. It also had pointy edges.
After: Nothing interesting had happened. The copper foil stood in the bottom of the test tube.
Is a new substance made? No
Type of Change: Nothing happened



7.) 3 mL water ­+ iron nail
Before: Water was very clear and it wasn’t viscous. It had no odour and it looked smooth.
After: We didn’t see anything happened but I predict that the iron nail would oxidize or rust as time goes by. Also, I think that the rust would smell because that's what I smelled when I accidentally smelled a rust before. Moreover, I predict that the water will have an orangy color.
Is a new substance made? Yes, I bet
Type of Change: Chemical



8.) 3 mL sulphuric acid + 2 cm magnesium ribbon
Before: Refer to #1 for the description of sulphuric acid. The magnesium ribbon was flimsy and it was a small and tiny strip of grayish metal.





9.) 3 mL copper sulphate solution + 1 spatula iron fillings


Questions:

1) How is liquid different form solid in shape and volume?
Solids have a definite shape and volume while liquids don’t. Liquids follow the shapes of their containers. This is mainly because of the formation and the motion of their particles.

2) How are gases and liquids similar in shape and volume?
The similarity between the volumes and shapes of gases and liquids is that they both have indefinite shape and volume. They also follow the shapes of their containers. However, gases have more indefinite shape and volume. This similarity occurs due to their particles.

3) How are solids and gases different in the amount of space between particles?
There's a big difference between the particles of solids and gases. Solids have particles that are very close together and because of that, they can only vibrate. Gases, on the other hand, have particles that are very far apart from each other and their particles are very hyper and bump into each other.

4) a) How does the space of particles change as energy is added to the particles?
When energy is added to particles, their kinetic energy increases and their spaces become wider.

b) How do the spaces change, as energy is lost?
As energy is taken from the particle, the spaces between the particles become narrower. It is due to the decreasing kinetic energy.

5) a) How does the behaviour of particles change as energy is added to particles?
The particles become more hyper and full of motion as energy is added to it.

b) How does the behaviour of particles change, as energy is lost?
The motions of particles slow down as energy is taken away from the particles. If there is no longer energy, the motion within the particles will be very slow.

6) What happens during condensation?
During condensation, gas is turned to liquid due to heat taken away from it.

7) What is the difference between sublimation and deposition?
Sublimation is the process in which solid changes directly to gas without reaching the liquid state. When deposition occurs, however, gas directly turns to solid, skipping the liquid state.


Conclusion:

The lab experiment today was full of fun because we were able to combine solution and other elements and watch how they change when combined with other things. I learned that when you combine chemicals, sometimes, you wouldn't really get what you expected to result. For example, when combining potassium iodide and lead nitrate solution, I didn’t get what I thought of getting. I thought I would get a faint, thin mixture but I got the opposite. After doing this lab, I learned that some chemicals could dissolve other chemicals in a few seconds after you shake them together. That is what I have observed when I combined sulphuric acid and copper carbonate. Moreover, I learned that copper carbonate, after being liquefied, is denser than sulphuric acid. I saw an oil and water effect while combining the two of them and I didn’t expect that. I think these changes happened because of the things in the chemicals. Maybe, there are some things in the vinegar and the baking soda that reacted with each other which caused the mixture of vinegar and baking soda to produce bubbles. Finally, I learned that some chemicals could be an environmental hazard because our teacher didn't let us throw some of the mixtures down the sink.

Additional Photo:

***This is our test tube rack! (The sulphuric acid and copper carbonate mixture, where are they?...Maybe, I was holding it, my bad!)


***This is our test tube rack with the sulphuric acid and copper carbonate mixture. I wasn't able to put the other chemical mixtures because the we we're already in a hurry to clean up.

Lab Experiment 1: Combining Elements

September 13, 2008 Combining Elements Julie Anne A.

Day 1, Period 4

Purpose: To practice observation skills by describing changes that occur when chemicals are combined.


Materials:
· 1 large test tube
· 10 mL of water
· 20 mL of vinegar
· 3 raisins
· 5 g or 2 scoops of baking soda
· Timer




Procedure:
1. Pour 10 mL of water into a large test tube.
2. Add 20 mL of vinegar.
*Record Observations*
3. Add the raisins.
*Record Observations*
4. Slowly add 5 g of baking soda.
*Immediately record observations and describe changes at 1 min, 3 min, and 5 min.


Data and Observations:
Step 2:
Water and vinegar
The water became cloudier and the strong smell of the vinegar became slightly weaker.


Step 3:
Adding the raisins
Bubbles were form on the raisins. The mixture became a bit clear. The vinegar still has its odor.
*The raisins are still at the bottom. This is the picture before the addition of the baking soda.


Step 4:
Adding the baking soda
A lot of fizz was formed in the mixture and bubbles were on top of it. Two raisins floated for a few seconds on top of the mixture. There are bubbles going upward. The smell of the vinegar was not as strong as it was in the second step.
*Baking soda was added. The mixture has bubbles on top of it.*

*The mixture started to bubble up and rise*
*The mixture was rising*


Step 4:
1 min
One raisin floated for a long time and it was followed by the other two raisins and while the three raisins were floating, bubbles were going upward. The vinegar odor became weaker.
*This one raisin floated for a long time while the other two tried to float. I notice some discoloration of the raisin here.


Step 4:
3 min

One raisin was on top for a long time while the other two floats for a few second and drops. There were also still bubbles that had the upward motion. The vinegar odor is gone.
*As you can see, one raisin was one top and the other two stayed at the bottom but those two floated too but only for a few seconds.


*Inside of the test tube*

Step 4:
5 min

After five minutes, three raisins floated then two of them dropped. At 05:40, three raisins floated but after about fifteen to seventeen seconds they started to float again. By this time, the mixture is very cloudy and there’s completely no vinegar smell.

***The End***

Questions:
1. List and describe the different changes you observed in the beaker.

There were a lot of changes that occur in this experiment. Before combining the water and the vinegar, the water was very clear and the vinegar had a very strong odor that you can smell it even if you are a few centimeters away from it. After combining the vinegar and the water, the water became cloudy and the strong smell of the vinegar became cloudy and the vinegar’s strong smell became slightly weaker. The raisins looked like normal raisins before it was added to the mixture. When it was combined with the mixture, little bubbles were formed on them and they stayed at the bottom of the test tube. Also, the mixture became a bit clearer. The baking soda had solid quite fine grains. When it was added to the mixture, it reacted with the mixture and fizz and bubbles were created on top. In addition to that, the mixture became cloudier and started to rise. Furthermore, when the baking soda reached the bottom of the large test tube, bubbles were going in an upward motion. Moreover, raisins were floating on top for a few seconds and some floated for a long time. Finally, the vinegar odor was very weak.

2. What happened to the solid baking soda that you added to the beaker?
The baking soda was still in its solid form and it stayed at the bottom of the test tube.

3. Describe and explain what happened to the raisins after the baking soda was added.
When the baking soda was added to the mixture, the raisins floated up and dropped after a few seconds. Also, I noticed a pattern regarding the raisins’ movement. One raisin stayed on top for a long time while the other two stayed at the bottom. However, after about 15 to 17 seconds, the two raisins would float and they would dropped again after about 15 seconds. I think the movement of the raisins was caused by the upward motion of the bubbles that were created by the reaction of vinegar and baking soda.

Conclusion:
The experiment today improved my observation skills because before this project, I didn’t really pay attention to the detailed description of how something felt and how something looked like. However, when I started to write my observations, I had to jot down a lot of words and I didn’t know what to add to my list so I started examining the mixture carefully to fully see the detail of it. I started to use some of my five senses and I learned that by using them, I could prolong the details in my observations. Also, in this experiment, I learned that the reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar was so strong that it can move the raisins.