LBYMATC

LABORATORY JOURNAL

Dense Plastic, Your Friend?

Department, College, De La Salle University, Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila

I. OBJECTIVES
To guide you through your learning, you must always check the objectives before, during,
and after an activity. Write down the objectives provided in the activity.

 Determine the relative densities of the plastics by checking to see whether the samples float or
sink in three liquids of differing densities

II. MATERIALS, CHEMICALS

What were the glass wares, equipment, and chemical used in the activity? List them down.

1. Materials
 Samples of different types of plastics
 Scissors

2. Equipment
 Water containers

3. Chemicals
 45% Ethanol
 10% NaClaq

III. SAFETY
Even though we won’t be performing the activities hands-on in a chemistry laboratory, you
should still be familiar with the precautions and first aid responses in case of actual exposure
to the chemicals. Consult the Safety Data Sheet of each chemical that will be used in the
activity and fill in the information below.

Chemical Chemical Incompatible Potential Health Waste Disposal

Name Stability Conditions and Effects and First Aid
Chemicals Information
NaCI No Conditions to Health Effects Product/containers
decomposition if avoid: oxidizing must not be
used and stored agents, strong Eye: disposed together
according to acids or bases. May cause eye with household
specifications. irritation. Exposure garbage. Do not
Incompatible to solid may cause allow product to
materials: strong pain and redness.  reach sewage
acids and strong system or open
bases. Skin: water.
May cause skin
irritation. May be
harmful if
absorbed through the
skin.
Laboratory Journal | SHSLBYKM2 Page 1 of 6
 LBYMATC
LABORATORY JOURNAL

Ingestion:
May cause irritation
of the digestive tract.
May be harmful if
swallowed. Ingestion
of large amounts may
cause nausea
and vomiting, rigidity
or convulsions.

Inhalation:
May
cause respiratory
tract irritation. May
be harmful
if inhaled.

First Aid

Eye:
Protect unexposed
eye. Rinse/flush
exposed eye(s) gently
using water for 15-20
minutes. Remove
contact lens(es) if able
to do so during
rinsing. Seek medical
attention if irritation
persists or if
concerned.

Skin:
Wash affected area
with soap and water.
Rinse thoroughly.
Seek medical
attention if irritation,
discomfort or vomiting
persists.

Ingestion:
Rinse mouth
thoroughly. Do not
induce vomiting. Have
exposed individual
drink sips of water.
Seek medical
attention if irritation,
discomfort or vomiting
Laboratory Journal | SHSLBYKM2 Page 2 of 6
 LBYMATC
LABORATORY JOURNAL
persists.

Inhalation:
Move exposed
individual to fresh air.
Loosen clothing as
necessary and
position individual in

a comfortable position.
Seek medical advice if
discomfort or irritation
persists.

Ethanol Stable under Conditions to Health Effects

normal avoid: incompatible
temperatures materials, ignition Eye: 
and pressures. sources, excess Causes severe eye
heat, oxidizers.  irritation. May cause
painful sensitization to
Incompatibilities light. May cause
materials: strong chemical conjunctivitis
oxidizing agents, and corneal damage. 
acids, alkali metals,
ammonia, Skin: 
hydrazine, Causes moderate skin
peroxides, sodium, irritation. May cause
acid anhydrides, cyanosis of the
calcium extremities. 
hypochlorite,
chromyl chloride, Ingestion: 
nitrosyl perchlorate, May cause
bromine gastrointestinal
pentafluoride, irritation with nausea,
perchloric acid, vomiting and diarrhea.
silver nitrate, May cause systemic
mercuric nitrate, toxicity with acidosis.
potassium-tert- May cause central
butoxide, nervous system
magnesium depression,
perchlorate, acid characterized by
chlorides, platinum, excitement, followed
uranium by headache,
hexafluoride, silver dizziness, drowsiness,
oxide, iodine and nausea.
heptafluoride, Advanced stages may
Laboratory Journal | SHSLBYKM2 Page 3 of 6
 LBYMATC
LABORATORY JOURNAL
acetyl bromide, cause collapse,
disulfuryl difluoride, unconsciousness,
tetrachlorosilane + coma and possible
water, acetyl death due to
chloride, respiratory failure. 
permanganic acid,
ruthenium (VIII) Inhalation: 
oxide, uranyl Inhalation of high
perchlorate, concentrations may
potassium dioxide.  cause central nervous
system effects
characterized by
nausea, headache,
dizziness,
unconsciousness and
coma. Causes
respiratory tract
irritation. May cause
narcotic effects in high
concentration. Vapors
may cause dizziness
or suffocation. 

Chronic: 
May cause
reproductive and fetal
effects. Laboratory
experiments have
resulted in mutagenic
effects. Animal studies
have reported the
development of
tumors. Prolonged
exposure may cause
liver, kidney, and heart
damage.

First Aid

Eyes: 
Get medical aid.
Gently lift eyelids and
flush continuously with
water. 

Skin: 
Get medical aid. Wash
clothing before reuse.
Flush skin with plenty
of soap and water. 

Ingestion: 

Laboratory Journal | SHSLBYKM2 Page 4 of 6

 LBYMATC
LABORATORY JOURNAL
Do not induce
vomiting. If victim is
conscious and alert,
give 2-4 capfuls of
milk or water. Never
give anything by
mouth to an
unconscious person.
Get medical aid. 

Inhalation: 
Remove from
exposure and move to
fresh air immediately.
If not breathing, give
artificial respiration. If
breathing is difficult,
give oxygen. Get
medical aid. Do NOT
use mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation. 

IV. REFLECTION
Go back to the objectives in I. Were you able to achieve the objectives of the activity? Give a
short reflection composed of three to five sentences and fill in the 3-2-1 below.

As someone who goes to the beach often, I would notice how there would always be plastics
floating in the ocean. This specific scenario made me believe that all plastics will float in
water. Although, through this experiment, I realized that eventually plastics will sink
especially with the uneven air movement caused by the waves and other external factors.

3 New Things I Learned

 Different plastics are made through different procedures and can be used in different
situations
 Polymers have different densities which are determined by the linkages
 Plastics will always sink as long as there is turbulence

2 Ah-Ha Moments

 With the plastics having the same relative differences in density, the liquid used
shouldn’t affect the ranking
 Regardless of the density, the plastics will sink as long as there is uneven air
movement

1 Big Question I Still Have In My Mind

Laboratory Journal | SHSLBYKM2 Page 5 of 6

 LBYMATC
LABORATORY JOURNAL
 What is making the plastic sink? Is it the chemical it’s made of or is it because of its
density?

Laboratory Journal | SHSLBYKM2 Page 6 of 6