Chemistry
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Ionic Compounds
Week 005 – Ionic Compounds
Laboratory Exercise 03
Objective/s:
At the end of this activity, you should be able to:
Observe and describe the properties of some ionic compounds.
Perform experiment illustrating the properties of ionic compounds.
Write the formulas for various cations, anions and ionic compounds.
Introduction:
Salts are examples of ionic compounds which are formed through the transfer of
the electrons from the metals to the nonmetals. The loss of the electrons from the
metal atoms will make these atoms become cations while the gain of electrons of the
nonmetal atoms will transform them into anions. The structure of the cations and
anions in solid salts shows a regular arrangement of these ions in a crystalline
structure that result from the attraction of the oppositely charged ions.
The ionic bond formed between the cations and anions satisfy the octet rule,
having eight electrons in the valence shell of the cations and anions, thus, achieve
the noble gas configuration with eight valence electrons.
In today’s experiment, you will determine some properties of ionic bonds. You will
compare their melting temperatures and electrical conductivity in solutions. You will
use the observed properties to make conclusions regarding some unknown
compounds.
Materials:
Aluminum foil
Ring stand
Iron ring
Bunsen burner
Chemicals:
Sodium chloride, NaCl
Table sugar, C12H22O11
Assessments
Unknown Compound #1
Unknown Compound #2
Unknown Compound #3
Unknown Compound #4
Safety Considerations:
ALWAYS exercise caution when using Bunsen burners.
The aluminum foil will be very hot after the first part of this experiment. Be
extremely careful.
Waste Disposal:
All compounds used in today’s experiment can be flushed down the sink with
running water.
Procedure:
PART ONE: Relative Melting Point Determination
1. Cut a square of aluminum foil that is about 5” by 5”. It does not need to be
perfect.
2. Set up a ring stand with an iron ring attached. Place the aluminum square on the
iron ring, as shown in the figure below:
a
l
u
m
i
n
i
u r
r
m i
o
n n
3. Obtain a small pea-sized sample of
f g
NaCl. Place the sample on the aluminum
o
r
foil, about 1 inch from the t center of the
i s
i
square.
l
n
4. Obtain a small pea-sized n sample of table
g a
sugar. Place the sample on d the aluminum
foil, about 1 inch from the center of the square, but in the opposite direction from
the salt.
Chemistry
3
Ionic Compounds
5. Your square of aluminum foil should look like in the figure below:
o
u
t
l
i
n
e s s
a u
o
f l g
t a
i
r r
o
n
6. Light the Bunsen burner and adjust
r
the flame height so that the tip of
i
n
the flame is just an inch or so
g
below the height of the aluminum
(
foil. Raise or lower the iron ring if
b
you need to (before you put the
e
l
burner under it, of course).
o
w
7. Move the Bunsen burner so that the
f
flame is directly below the center of
o
the aluminum square. Observe as
i
l
the two compounds heat up. If one of the samples begins to burn, do not panic. A
)
small sample should burn out quickly.
8. Which compound melts first? Record your observations in the Observations
section.
9. Make predictions regarding the relative melting points of covalent and ionic
compounds in your Conclusions section.
10. Set up another sheet of aluminum foil and determine the relative melting
points (low vs. high) of the four unknowns. Record your results in the Data
Section table.
PART TWO: Conductivity in Solution
11. Dissolve a spoonful of NaCl in water. Observe the conductivity and record
your observations.
12. Dissolve a spoonful of table sugar in water. Observe the conductivity and
record your observations.
Assessments
13. Dissolve a small amount of the four unknowns in different beakers. Observe
the conductivity tests and establish whether each unknown conducts a current
when dissolved. Record your observations.
Data Analysis:
Record the properties for the known compounds:
Conducts
Relative Electricity
Unknown
Melting Point When
Number
(Low/High) Dissolved
(yes/no)
Conductor
NaCl High
(yes)
Nonconducto
C12H22O11 Low
r (no)
Record the properties you observed for the four unknowns in the table below:
Conducts
Relative Electricity
Unknown
Melting Point When
Number
(Low/High) Dissolved
(yes/no)
Nonconductor
1 Low
(no)
Conductor
2 High
(yes)
3 Low Nonconductor
Chemistry
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Ionic Compounds
(no)
Conductor
4 High
(yes)
Conclusions:
Based on your tests with salt and sugar, compare the melting points of these
compounds.
Based on your tests with salt and sugar, compare the ability to conduct electricity
in solution of ionic compounds and the one which is not ionic.
A compound that conducts electricity when dissolved is called an electrolyte.
Write a short statement that identifies ionic as electrolytes or not ionic compound or
non-electrolytes.
Identify each of the unknown solids as ionic or not ionic based on your
observations:
Unknown 1: ____________ reasoning:
Assessments
Unknown 2: ____________ reasoning:
Unknown 3: ____________ reasoning:
Unknown 4: ____________ reasoning: