Experiment 2 1
LABORATORY EXPERIMENT No. 2
The Types of Bonds
Chemical compounds are combinations of atoms held together by chemical bonds. These
chemical bonds are of two basic types—ionic and covalent. Ionic bonds result when one or more
electrons from one atom or group of atoms are transferred to another atom. Positive and negative
ions are created through the transfer. In covalent compounds no electrons are transferred; instead
electrons are shared by the bonded atoms. While in a metallic solid, the valence electrons from the
metal atoms are considered to be delocalized and not associated with any individual atom.
The physical properties of a substance, such as melting point, solubility, and conductivity,
can be used to predict the type of bond that binds the atoms of the compound. In this experiment,
you will test different substances to determine their properties. This experiment will enable you to
classify the substances as either ionic or covalent compounds or metallic substances.
OBJECTIVES
Compare the melting points of the solids.
Determine the solubilities of the solids in water and in ethanol.
Determine the conductivity of water solutions of the soluble solids.
Classify the compounds into groups of ionic and covalent compounds.
Summarize the properties of each group.
MATERIALS
a well microplate aluminum foil square
hotplate tray for transporting aluminum square
conductivity tester CaCl2 (calcium chloride) - A
ethanol vial KI (potassium iodide) - B
25 mL beaker NaCl (sodium chloride) - C
disposable pipet Candle wax (C25H52) – D
thermal gloves C12H22O11 (sucrose) - E
lab coat Copper wire (Cu) - F
safety goggles
Always wear safety goggles, gloves, and a lab apron to protect your eyes and clothing. If you get a
chemical in your eyes, immediately flush the chemical out at the eyewash station while calling to your teacher. Know
the location of the emergency lab shower and eyewash station and the procedures for using them.
Do not touch any chemicals. If you get a chemical on your skin or clothing, wash the chemical off at the sink
while calling to your teacher. Make sure you carefully read the labels and follow the precautions on all containers of
chemicals that you use. If there are no precautions stated on the label, ask your teacher what precautions to follow. Do
not taste any chemicals or items used in the laboratory. Never return leftovers to their original container; take only
small amounts to avoid wasting supplies.
Do not heat glassware that is broken, chipped, or cracked. Use tongs or a hot mitt to handle heated
glassware and other equipment because hot glassware does not always look hot.
When using a flame, confine long hair and loose clothing. If your clothing catches on fire, WALK to the emergency
lab shower and use it to put out the fire.
Experiment 2 2
Procedure
1. Put on safety goggles and a lab coat.
2. On the aluminum square, use a marker to label the 6 locations of substances (A, B, C, D, E, and F),
evenly-spaced in a ring.
3. Place a few crystals of calcium chloride, potassium iodide, sodium chloride, sucrose, candle wax, and
copper wire next to the marker locations on the aluminum square. Use only one small scoop of a
spatula and try to make the amount of each substance about the same. Do not allow the samples of
crystals to touch. For copper wire, use a small piece provided to your group.
4. Write a brief description of each of the six substances in Table 1.
5. Plug in the hotplate and let it heat up. Use the highest power available.
6. For this experiment, it is not necessary to have exact values for the melting point. The foil will continue
to get hotter as it is heated, so the order of melting will give relative melting points. Note the substance
that melts first by writing a 1 in Table 1. Record the order of melting for the other substances.
5. After 2 more minutes, record an n in Table 1 for each substance that did not melt. Unplug the hotplate.
Allow the aluminum square to cool while you complete the remainder of the experiment.
6. Put a few crystals of each of the white solids in your microplate, as in the diagram below.
7. Pour about 10 ml of distilled water in the beaker. Using the disposable pipet, add 10 drops of water to
each well in the first set of 6 substances. Do not stir. Record the solubility of each substance in Table 1
by writing “S” for soluble, or “NS” for not soluble.
8. Add 10 drops of ethanol from the ethanol vial to each well in the second set of 6 substances. Do not
stir. Record the solubility of each substance in Table 1 by writing “S” for soluble, or “NS” for not
soluble.
9. Test the conductivity of each water solution by dipping both electrodes into each well of the microplate.
Be sure to rinse the electrodes and dry them with a paper towel after each test. If the bulb of the
conductivity apparatus lights up, the solution conducts electric current. Record your results in Table 1
by writing “Y” for conductive, or “N” for not conductive.
10. Clean the microplate by rinsing it with water into a pan provided by your teacher. If any wells are
difficult to clean, use a cotton swab. Wash your hands thoroughly before you leave the lab and after all
work is finished.
Experiment 2 3
REPORT SHEET
NAME: _______________________________________ DUE DATE: ________________
LAB GROUPS: ______________________________________________________________
LABORATORY EXPERIMENT No. 2
The Types of Bonds
Introduction (Explains what is being investigated and why)
An overview of the topic or a description of the background theory/concept or model
Explanation of the link between your investigation and the theory/concept or model
Rationale/purpose of your investigation
Research Questions
State your research questions clearly and concisely (at the moment, use the objectives for
this activity as your guide)
State your Independent variable and dependent variable
Use the sample as your guide
Materials
Methodology
Raw Data
TABLE 1 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOUNDS
Experiment 2 4
Type of
Compound
Compou Melting Solubility Solubility Conducti /
nd Description point in H2O in ethanol vity Substance
CaCl2
KI
NaCl
Sucrose
Candle
wax
Cu wire
Analysis and Discussion
1. Organizing Results Group the substances into two groups according to their properties.
2. Organizing Results List the properties of each group.
3. Discussing Results
a. What type of substances/compounds
(i) dissolves in water easily?
______________________________________________________________________
(ii) conducts electricity in solution?
______________________________________________________________________
(iii) melts easily?
______________________________________________________________________
(iv) have high melting points?
______________________________________________________________________
b. Explain why ionic compounds conduct electricity in solution but not for covalent compounds?
Experiment 2 5
Conclusions
1. Inferring Conclusions Use your textbook/internet and your experimental data to determine which of
the groups consists of ionic compounds and which consists of covalent compounds.
2. Relating Ideas Write a statement to summarize the properties of ionic compounds, covalent
compounds, and metallic substances.