Foundation Programme – Experiment 1

A chemical test for water

Introduction
Some chemicals change colour when water is added to them. Some coloured chemicals
owe their colour to the water molecules that are associated with them. Cobalt(II) chloride
is one colour when dry and another colour when damp. In this experiment these colours
are identified.

Safety
Wear eye protection and protective gloves Avoid contact with the cobalt(II) chloride paper
and the cobalt(II) chloride solution. Cobalt(II) chloride is toxic.

Protocol
1. Add 4 cm3 of 0.8M cobalt(II) chloride solution to a small beaker.
2. Add 4 cm3 of 1M sodium chloride solution to the cobalt(II) chloride.
3. This mixture is now known as solution A.
4. In a separate small beaker carefully bring some water to the boil. Then carefully
remove the Bunsen burner flame from underneath the beaker.
5. Using tongs dip half of the filter paper into solution A.
6. Allow the paper to dry, attach it to the beaker of hot water to speed up drying.
Avoid burning the filter paper.
7. Observe any differences in colour between the wet and the dry filter paper.
8. Place the now dry filter paper over the steam from the beaker containing the
boiling water and observe what happens.
9. Allow the filter paper to dry again.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 several times and observe any differences.
11. Clean the apparatus and area you worked in.

Apparatus
Small beaker
Filter paper
Bunsun burner
Gauze
250cm3 beaker

Safety
Ensure that you have read the appropriate COSHH data.

Record
The colour changes observed.

Report
Write-ups should be set out in the usual way. Each person in your team must submit an
individual report. In your report of this laboratory exercise you need to include:

Questions
1. For what other purposes might the sodium chloride be on the paper, in addition to
supplying more chloride ions?
2. How many times can the cobalt(II) chloride paper cycle between colours?
3. Suggest a practical application for the cobalt(II) chloride paper.
4. Write the formula for cobalt(II) chloride.
5. Calculate the mass of sodium chloride is needed to make a 1 litre of the solution?

In your write-ups please state clearly who you worked with.

Please supply relevant MSDS and COSHH sheets.

Before your team leaves the laboratory, hand in any sample and then the
demonstrator will check that your bench is clean and tidy.