MATTER AND ITS PROPERTIES

(STATES OF MATTER AND CHANGE OF MATTER)

Alcano, Jason C.

Abellar, Hazel

Alimas, Janneth

Ariola, Khia Dyan

Autentico, Marienilla

CHY 40.1

Principles of General Chemistry, Laboratory

ASCHEM1, TTh, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

A Formal Laboratory Report

Presented to:

PROF. ANALYN G. GULTIANO

Associate Professor

September 18, 2018 – September 27, 2018

I. INTRODUCTION

Matter can exist in various physical states namely solid, liquid, gas, plasma, Bose-Einstein
condensate and lastly the newly discovered one, Rydberg polarons. However, under normal
conditions, matter basically subsumes the first three above-stated states. Distinctively, these three
states of matter differ from one another. Solid, for example, has definite shape, has definite
volume and almost incompressible due to its compacted molecules while liquid assumes the
shape of its container, has definite volume and almost incompressible as molecules of liquids
are close together and whereas gas takes the shape of its container, has no definite volume
and very compressible as gas molecules are very far apart from one to another.

Additionally, the idea that a certain material exists in a certain physical state is primarily
dependent to some factors. It is specified into two which are the attraction and the energy between
the material’s molecules. Solid has very strong intermolecular attraction that its molecules are very
compacted and said to have relatively low amount of energy in the form of motion. In the case of
liquids, its molecules are less compacted and more mobile than that of the solid. In gases,
molecules tend to be so far apart and has the highest kinetic energy among the three states. This is
in accord with Kinetic Molecular Theory. Now, when these certain conditions are met, a material
is said to acquire such state accordingly, however, it is important to note that matter can be
converted from one state to another. When a material is subjected to increase or decrease in
temperature sufficient enough to relatively augment or abate the molecular motion between its
molecules, then a phase change can take place. The amount of energy required to be absorbed or
released by the material to undergo phase change differ as intermolecular forces between
molecules varies in strength as it varies in composition. For example, NaCl occurs naturally solid
and is ionically bonded. To initiate phase change from solid to liquid, sodium chloride needs to
absorb great amount of energy to weaken the attraction between its formula units by subjecting it
into extremely high temperature.

Aside from states, matter does also have physical and chemical properties which are the
basis when matter undergoes physical and chemical changes. Physical changes involve changing
the physical appearance but not its composition (Brown et. al, 2015). In chemical change,
substances are converted into new products having properties and compositions that are entirely
different from those of the starting materials.
 In the light of verifying the above-mentioned concept, an investigation was then carried
out through a laboratory experiment. The objectives of the experiments are as follows: (a)
distinguish the three states of matter from each other; (b) identify the state of matter at a given
condition and its observable properties; (c) differentiate and perform physical and chemical
changes; (d) explain why certain conditions would result in the change of state; (e) provide a
correct chemical equation of the for the chemical reactions conducted; and (f) recognize evidences
of changes.

II. METHODOLOGY

A. Chemicals and Apparatus

The chemicals/substances used in performing the experiment are the following: (1) candle wax,
1g; (2) iodine crystals; (3) bread; (4) acetic acid, 5 mL; (5) sodium chloride, 5 g; (6) distilled water,
5 mL; (7) 0.1 M silver nitrate.

This experiment utilized as well the following apparatus and equipment: (1) evaporating dish;
(2) stirring rod; (3) iron stand; (3) iron ring; (4) wire gauze; (5) alcohol lamp and matches; (6) 250
mL beaker; (7) watch glass; (8) test tube; (9) test tube brush; (10) dropper; (11) tongs; (12)
graduated cylinder; and (13) triple beam balance.

B. Procedure

Preparation of Materials and Equipment

The substances to be used in the experiment were weighed using a triple beam balance with ±
0.05 precision. Then, the apparatuses for the experiment were set up.

A. Interconvertibility of States of Matter

a. States of Candle Wax

Approximately 1.0 gram of candle wax was placed in an evaporating dish. The dish was then
placed on the surface of the wire gauze and heated using an alcohol lamp. Until there was a change
in the candle wax’s state, the heated wax was poured to the beaker with water and was stirred
constantly with a stirring rod. When the candle wax solidified and transformed to its original state
before, the wax was then removed from the stirring rod.

b. States of Iodine

A piece of iodine crystal was placed into a clean and dry 250 mL beaker covered with watch
glass. Thereafter, the assembly was heated using an alcohol lamp. When the iodine crystal inside
the set up completely turned into a gaseous form, the assembly was removed from the heat
source and was allowed to cool down.

B. Chemical Change

There were three investigations carried out in this experiment which involves chemical change.
These are as follows:

a. Burning a Piece of Bread

Using tongs, the end of a piece of bread was subjected to fire of the alcohol lamp for 1-2
minutes. The charred bread was then removed from the fire and was examined.

b. Mixing Baking Soda and Vinegar

One gram of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) was added to a test tube containing 5 mL of
vinegar (acetic acid).

c. Mixing Salt Solution and Silver Nitrate

First, one gram of solid table salt (sodium chloride) was dissolved in five milliliter distilled
water. The table salt solution was then transferred into a test tube and thereafter was added with 2-
3 drops of 0.1 molar of AgNO3 (silver nitrate).
III. DATA/RESULTS/CALCULATIONS

The results of the experiment are summarized in figure and tables which are reflected on
the following tables:

A. Interconvertibility of States of Matter

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 3.1 States of candle wax (a) before heating; (b) after heating; (c) after cooling down.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 3.2. Conversion of iodine crystal from (a) solid to (b) gas to (c) solid again

Table 3.1 Results under Interconvertibility of States of Matter

Appearance after Appearance after

Substance Appearance
heating cooled* down
candle wax white in color; solid colorless; liquid white in color; solid
dark gray in color; pink in color; gaseous dark gray in color;
iodine crystals
solid in state solid
* The term “cooled”, in this experiment, pertains to situating the substance under normal room temperature after
being heated.
B. Chemical Changes

Figure 3.3 Appearance of bread after burning Figure 3.4 Production of bubbles

Figure 3.5 Formation of precipitate as a product

Table 3.2 Results under Chemical Change

Substance Appearance Appearance after reaction

bread dirty white in color black in color
baking soda white in color; powdery produced bubbles and colorless liquid
acetic acid colorless; liquid substance
table salt solution colorless; liquid produced white precipitate and colorless
silver nitrate colorless; liquid liquid substance

Table 3.3 Evidence and Type of Change

Substance Evidence of Change Type of Change

change in state (from solid to liquid to
candle wax Physical
solid)
change in state (from solid to gas to
iodine crystals Physical
solid)
change in color (from dirty white to
bread Chemical
black)
NaHCO3 + HC2H3O2 gas evolution (bubble formation) Chemical

NaCl(aq) + AgNO3(aq) production of precipitate Chemical

IV. DISCUSSION/INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

The experiment significantly revolves around the concept of states of matter and its
properties which is crucial in explaining phase changes, and thereby laying down the idea of
physical and chemical changes. It also involves identifying certain evidences that determines the
type of change occurred.

In Part A of the experiment, the concept of interconvertibility of states of matter was

introduced. It proliferates the idea that matter can pass on from being in any state to another state
at a given condition. As shown in Figure 3.1, the candle wax melted in an evaporating dish after
it has absorbed sufficient amount of heat required to cause phase change, then, from liquid it
became solid again after it was removed from the heat source and was left to cool. The same idea
applies to heating iodine crystals but with a different phase change which is from solid to gas. The
iodine crystal after heating sublimes and became gaseous in state. Thereafter letting the assembly
cool down, the gaseous iodine deposited in the bottom part of the beaker and became crystals
again. Table 3.1 reflects the data gathered during the experiment. The observable properties of the
substances used was recorded before the heating, after heating and after some time of cooling
down. As shown in Table 3.1, similar properties were recorded before heating and after it cooled
down. This suggests that the substances readily convert from one state to another and back to initial
state with the same properties as it was in the initial state. Furthermore, the interconvertibility in
state in this experiment only suggest that the substance had undergone physical change (Libretexts,
2016). Additionally, increase in temperature provides enough energy to loosen and mobilize the
molecules, thus, causing phase change. Decrease in temperature, which was observed when the
substances were cooled down, also can initiate change in state by release of energy (heat) and
thereby causing the intermolecular motion to be at its minimum.

The later section of the experiment, Part B, involves incinerating a piece of bread, reaction
between sodium bicarbonate (sodium hydrogen carbonate) and dilute acetic acid (ethanoic acid),
and reaction between sodium chloride solution and aqueous solution of silver nitrate. The
aforementioned investigations are manifestations of chemical changes. Shown in Figure 3.3, the
bread was charred after it was subjected to fire for about 2 minutes. As bread is a mixture of organic
compounds, it is expected to have presence of carbon element which was held responsible for the
black color of the burnt bread. In this experiment, the change in color (from dirty white to black)
was an indication of formation of new products (Weiner & Harrison, 2010). Since the change in
color was irreversible, the substance had undergone chemical change.

When sodium bicarbonate was added to acetic acid, they reacted and yielded bubbles. This
indicated that there was an evolution of gaseous compound as product of the reaction along with
a colorless liquid compound. This is shown in Figure 3.4. The presence of carbon dioxide in
balanced chemical equation below validates the formation of bubbles after the reaction. The

HC2H3O2 + NaHCO3 → NaC2H3O2 + CO2 + H2O

acetic acid sodium bicarbonate sodium acetate carbon dioxide dihydrogen monoxide

reaction was between an acid and a base wherein it was expected to yield water (H2O) and salt
(NaC2H3O2). Originally, the reaction produced carbonic acid which readily decomposes and
liberates into water and carbon dioxide as final products.

The last experiment conducted entails adding drops of aqueous silver nitrate to sodium
chloride solution. As presented in Figure 3.5, the reaction yielded a white cloudy precipitate and
a colorless liquid. The balanced equation for the chemical reaction is reflected below. Based on

NaCl (aq) + AgNO3 (aq) → AgCl (s) + NaNO3 (aq)

sodium chloride silver nitrate silver chloride sodium nitrate

the balanced chemical equation, the white precipitate formed was silver chloride and the colorless
liquid was sodium nitrate. This can be further understood using the concept of solubility of
inorganic salts. Solubility is a chemical property which pertains to the quantity of substance a
certain amount of solvent can dissolve at a given temperature (Libretexts, 2016). When the
reactants were combined, it produced an aqueous solution of sodium nitrate with solid silver
chloride suspended at the bottom. Based on the data of solubility of salts, all salts of the chloride
ion (Cl-), bromide ion (Br-), and iodide ion (I-) are soluble except those of Ag+, Pb2+, Cu+, and Tl+,
BiI3, and SnI4 are insoluble (Beran, 2014). The insolubility of silver chloride to water explicates
the formation of suspended precipitate observed.

Data gathered for the experiment in chemical changes are summarized in Table 3.2 and
Table 3.3. Resources scribe that observable traits of chemical change includes gas evolution,
formation of precipitate, etc. as these indicates formation of new compounds or alteration of
chemical composition of a certain matter (Beran, 2014; Weiner & Harrison, 2010).
V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

With the aim of verifying the principles and theories governing matter and its properties,
the overall experiment conducted positively supplemented and effectively facilitated the
understanding to these aforementioned abstract concepts. Such concepts tailored in the
experiments which are states and properties of matter, phase changes, physical and chemical
changes, evidences of changes, etc. had been constructively established and was clearly
emphasized.

Furthermore, the data of the experiments which are reflected in Section III further validated
the ideas behind as data recorded coincide with principles involved in the investigation. The idea
that certain matters have the capacity to change states interconvertibly came along with the data
gathered in the experiment. Main observable evidences of changes that indicates chemical change
was reflected in the data and favorably coincided with the references.

Though the process of the entire experiment was exemplary already, the Part A
Interconvertibility of States of Matter may be more effective if an experiment involving phase
change from liquid to gas and vice versa will be incorporated. It can provide more concepts to
understanding the matter and the concepts it entails.

VI. REFERENCES

Beran, J.A. (2014). Laboratory manual for principles of general chemistry (10th Edition). USA:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Brown, T. I., LeMay Jr. H. E., Bursten, B., Murphy, C. J., Woodward, P. M., & Stoltzfus, M. W.
(2015). Chemistry the central science (13th Edition). USA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Libretexts. (2016, May 24). Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter. Retrieved September 25,
2018, from https://chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/Inorganic_Chemistry/Supple
mental_Modules_(Inorganic_Chemistry)/Chemical_Reactions/Properties_of_Matter

Weiner S. A. & Harrison, B. (2010). Introduction to chemical principles: a laboratory approach,

(7th Edition). Belmont, CA, USA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.