ACTIVITY 1

Basic Laboratory Operations

Questions:

1. If the solid is not completely submerged in the water, will this technique error increase, decrease, or have no effect on the reported density
of the solid? Explain.

Since the solid is NOT completely submerged, it did not displace the same amount of volume of the water as its own volume. Because of
this, the volume than it should have displaced would be less than its own volume, making the density much larger.

2. Suppose that after delivery several drops of the water cling to the inner wall of the pipet (because the pipet wall is dirty). Will this technique
error increase, decrease, or have no effect on the reported density of water?

If water clings to the side of the pipet when it was delivered for the measurement of mass, the mass of the water would be less compared to
its volume. This would make the density measurement less than the expected amount.

3. If some of the water evaporates between the time the liquid is delivered to the beaker and the time its mass is measured, will the reported
density of water be too high, too low, or unaffected? Explain.

If water evaporates between the mass measurement and volume measurement, the mass would be less compared to its volume. The
density will then be less than what is expected.

ACTIVITY 2
Electrolysis
Questions:

1. Write all the possible chemical reactions that might be occurring in your setup. Explain the likelihood of these reactions from occurring.

The types of reactions depends on the impurities present. However, assuming that only the electrolysis of water occurs, the following
reactions should occur:

Cathode (reduction): 2 H2O(l) + 2e− → H2(g) + 2 OH−(aq)

Anode (oxidation): 2 OH−(aq) → 1/2 O2(g) + H2O(l) + 2 e−

2. What is the use of baking soda? If pure water was used, what will you observe? Explain your answers.

The baking soda was used as an electrolyte, allowing the passage of electricity from one electrode to another. If the electrolyte is absent,
the electricity would not have passed, and the electrolysis would not have occurred.

3. Write the chemical reaction that occurs at both electrodes.

Cathode (reduction): 2 H2O(l) + 2e− → H2(g) + 2 OH−(aq)

Anode (oxidation): 2 OH−(aq) → 1/2 O2(g) + H2O(l) + 2 e−

4. Explain the levels of gas in the syringes during electrolysis. Explain this observation.

The level of gas in the cathode should be higher than the one in the cathode since there is twice the amount of hydrogen gas being produced
compared to the anode.

ACTIVITY 3
Nuclear Stability
Questions:

1. How can you determine the number of protons of an element from the given symbol?

The number of protons can be determined by using the periodic table. The atomic number is the same as the number of protons.

2. How can you determine the number of neutrons of an element from the given symbol?

The number of neutrons can be determined by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number.

3. Describe the graph. What is its slope?

The graph is straight and going upwards. Its slope is exactly 1.

4. What is the value of the slope of the band of stability? Comparing it with the 1:1 proton-neutron graph, what does this slope indicate?

The slope is slightly higher than that of a 1:1 proton-neutron graph. This indicates that the number of neutrons needed for stabilization is
slightly higher per number of protons.

5. What are the isotopes above the band of stability? What does this tell you about their nuclei?

Refer to your list. This means that they have less protons compared to their neutrons for them to be stable.

6. If the isotopes above the band of stability will undergo nuclear decay, what type of decay will they undergo? Why?

They will undergo beta decay, since beta decay decreases the amount of neutrons and increases the amount of protons.

7. What are the isotopes below the band of stability? What does this tell you about their nuclei?

Refer to your list. This means that they have more protons compared to their neutrons for them to be stable.

8. If the isotopes above the band of stability will undergo nuclear decay, what type of decay will they undergo? Why?

They will undergo positron emission or electron capture, since these increase the amount of neutrons and decrease the amount of protons.

9. Describe the graph. What is its relative position relative to the 1:1 proton-neutron graph? What does this tell you about the band of stability?

The slope is higher than that of a 1:1 proton-neutron graph. This indicates that the number of neutrons needed for stabilization is higher per
number of protons.

10. Which isotopes are above the band of stability? What is their position relative to the band indicate?

Refer to your list. This means that they have less protons compared to their neutrons for them to be stable.

11. If the isotopes above the band of stability will undergo nuclear decay, what type of decay will they undergo? Why?

They will undergo beta decay, since beta decay decreases the amount of neutrons and increases the amount of protons.

12. Which isotopes are below the band of stability? What is their position relative to the band indicate?

Refer to your list. This means that they have more protons compared to their neutrons for them to be stable.

13. If the isotopes above the band of stability will undergo nuclear decay, what type of decay will they undergo? Why?

They will undergo positron emission or electron capture, since these increase the amount of neutrons and decrease the amount of protons.

14. Which isotopes are beyond the band of stability? What is their position relative to the band indicate?

Refer to your list. They have many protons and neutrons for the atom to be stable.

15. If the isotopes beyond the band of stability will undergo nuclear decay, what type of decay will they undergo? Why?

They will undergo alpha decay, since alpha decay decreases both the amount of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
ACTIVITY 4
Simulating Half-Life
Questions:

1. How many trials does it take for half of the original isotope to decay?

One trial.

2. After half of the original isotopes remain, how many trials does it take for half of the remaining isotopes to decay.
 One trial.

3. What is the half-life of the isotope?

One trial.

4. Describe the graph produced from your activity.

It is curved downwards, sloping towards zero.

5. If dice were used instead of coins, and the decayed atoms are represented by a 1 or 2, hat would be your expected result for the half-life?
Graph your expected result. What if the decayed atoms are represented by a 1, 2, 3, 4?

The half life would be approximately 1.71. If the decayed atoms were 1, 2, 3, and 4, the half-life would be approximately 0.63.

6. If instead of using 50 coins, you used 25 coins, what would be your expected half-life? How many half-lives would have to pass for it to be
completely decayed? How would the graph for 25 coins be different from your activity? How about if 10 coins were used?

The expected half-life would still be the same if 25 coins were used. For it to be completely decayed, it would approximately take about 6 or
7 trials. The graph would be shorter and less steep. If 10 coins were used, the half life would still be the same.