Periodic Properties | Semester 1, Unit 3

LAB 3:
PERIODIC PROPERTIES
WITH EXTENSION

Goals In this lab, we will study the group 14

(4A) elements, which are carbon, silicon,
1. Introduce the concept of element groups germanium, tin, and lead. We will omit lead
from the actual hands-on examination. All
2. Show how elements in their groups are the group 14 (4A) elements are commonly
similar to one another and explain why seen in ordinary life. Elemental carbon
can been seen if you burn your toast or
Materials and Equipment in the pencil “lead.” Silicon is the basis for
most electronic microchips in use today.
Slide of elements: Germanium is less common, but it too is
Carbon used to make microchips. Tin is used in
Germanium most solders. Lead is a solder, as well as a
Silicon weight for fishing and balancing car tires.
Tin Many of the group 14 (4A) elements
Digital voltmeter are classified as semiconductors. They are
Goggles not insulators, since they can pass some
Periodic table current, but they are not conductors since
they have a higher resistance than most
metals. Semiconductors have an electrical
Materials Not Included
resistance that is sensitive to temperature.
You will investigate their changing
Hot water
resistance in this lab.
Ice
Shallow dish
Procedure
Introduction
1. Using the periodic table, write out the
The periodic table is periodic, which electronic structures of all the group 14
means that it repeats. This happens (4A) elements. Record your answers in
because atoms fill their outer-shell electron Table 3.1.
orbits in an organized way. The outer-shell
electrons are almost entirely responsible for 2. Check the room temperature resistance
the chemical properties of the elements. of C, Si, Ge, and Sn. To do this you will
The columns on the periodic table put the multimeter on the resistance
contain elements that have identical outer- range in the 200 Ohm scale. Touch
shell electrons. These columns are called the two probes to different ends of
element groups. Group I (1A) elements are each sample provided. Wait until the
comprised of the alkali metals, which are all resistance reading is relatively stable and
very reactive. They form ionic compounds record an approximate value. The values
with many elements that are in the group do move around a bit, so make your best
16 (6A) and group 17 (7A) columns. Other estimate. Record the values in Table 3.2.
groups have different similarities.

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3. Make some ice water and pour it into a

very shallow dish. Place the slide with
the sample elements into the ice water
and wait a minute for them to cool.
Dry the samples and quickly measure
the resistance of each sample. Again,
you will need to wait for the resistance
value to stabilize and then make your
best estimate of the value. Record your
results in Table 3.2.

4. Repeat the test again, using hot water

in the shallow dish instead of cold
water. You will need to preheat the dish
with hot water to make sure the water
remains as hot as possible.

5. Take a knife or small screwdriver and

attempt to make a very small scratch
on the element samples. If you have
access to a lead wheel weight or a lead
fishing weight, you may examine that
and add the results to the Table. Try
to determine if the samples tend to be
hard and brittle, or soft and ductile. Fill
out Column 3 in Table 3.1.

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 Periodic Properties

LAB 3
Questions for Periodic Properties
Table 3.1

Element Electronic Structure Brittle/Ductile/in Between

Brittle but can be hard or strong depending
Carbon on the atomic structure

Silicon Brittle

Germanium Brittle

Tin Ductile, but hardens rapidly

Lead Very ductile

Table 3.2
Resistance, Resistance, Resistance,
Element
in Ice Water Room Temperature in Hot Water

Carbon Higher Lower

Silicon Higher Lower

Germanium Higher Lower

Low, but likely not to change Low, but not likely to change Low, but likely not to change
Tin much with temperature much with temperature much with temperature
change change change

1. In what ways are the electronic structures of the group 14 (4A) elements similar? In
what ways are they different?

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2. Compare the room temperate resistances for all the samples. Are they similar or different?

The room temperature resistance should be much less for tin and lead. They behave
like metals, and so have lower resistance.

3. How does resistance change with temperature? Is there more resistance or less
resistance at higher temperatures? Compare the change in resistance for all the samples.

4. Are the samples soft and ductile or hard and brittle? Are some in between?

5. What do you think causes the difference between the elements on the top of the periodic
table, like carbon, with those on the bottom of the periodic table, like tin or lead?

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 3.4.3 Lab: Pe i dic P e ie P e- ab
Chemistry Na e:
Da e:

A e he e e i bef e begi i g he ab. Be e he i he

b i ab e .

1. O he e d c ab e, ha a e d? Wha cha ac e c ha ed b
ee e he a e e d?

2. O he e d c ab e, ha ag ?F he a g , ha cha ac e c
d he e e e ha e c ?

3. L a he e d c ab e g c ad e d . Wh a e he ad cha g g
a ed he ab e h ec ? Wh a e he ad cha g g a
e ac he ab e f ef gh h e ?

3.4.3 Lab: Periodic Proper ie 1/2

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cop ing, re e, or redi rib ion i prohibi ed.
C gh 2019 A e Lea g I c. U e f h ae a b ec A e Lea g' Te f U e. A a h ed

c g, e e, ed b h b ed. A e Lea g a d he A e Lea g L g a e eg e ed ade a f

A e Lea g I c.

3.4.3 Lab: Periodic Proper ie 2/2

Cop righ 2021 Ape Learning Inc. U e of hi ma erial i bjec o Ape Learning' Term of U e. An na hori ed
cop ing, re e, or redi rib ion i prohibi ed.