DHSBNHS – Senior High School MIDTERM Performance Task #1

Grade 12 Physical Science Are you with me or against me?

(Testing Polarity)

Introduction

The polarity of the molecule determines its solubility and miscibility.

Solubility refers to the ability of solute to dissolve in a certain amount of solvent.
Miscibility is the ability of two liquids to mix in all proportions. Given the general rule that “like
dissolves like” or “like mixes with like”, substances are able to mix due to their same polarity.
Polar molecules interact strongly with other polar molecules but do not interact with
nonpolar molecules. Polar solutes can dissolve readily in polar solvents or a polar liquid is
miscible with other polar solvents. In like manner, nonpolar solutes can dissolve in nonpolar
solvents or nonpolar liquid is miscible to other nonpolar liquid.
This means that a polar substance will readily dissolve or mix with water, a known polar
liquid. Conversely, a non-polar substance will NOT dissolve or mix in water, indicating that it is
inceed, not polar.
In this activity, you will determine the polarity of some substances by testing its solubility
(for solids) or miscibility (for liquids) with water.

Objective: At the end of the activity, the students should be able to distinguish a polar substance
from a nonpolar substance by testing its solubility/miscibility with water.

Materials:
6 clean cups or bowls SAMPLES:
6 teaspoons flour alcohol
water black pepper vinegar
oil (used but clear) sugar soy sauce

Procedure:
1. Use 6 small pieces of paper to label and identify the cups and samples. (or write on the
cups if possible)
2. Put tap water in the cups until half-full.
3. For each sample, take 1 tsp and add to the cup and stir.
4. Observe whether the sample dissolves or mixes well with water.
5. Record your observations on your data table.
6. Wash out all the contents of the cups and wipe it dry with a cloth or tissue.
7. Put cooking oil until half-full. You can use less if you have big cups/bowls.
8. Again, take 1 tsp of each sample and add to its assigned cup and stir.
9. Observe whether the sample dissolves or mixes well with oil.
10. After the activity, dispose of all mixtures in the sink and wash your materials.
11. Complete your data chart then answer the questions that follow.

Data Table COPY THIS TABLE ON YOUR PAPER TO RECORD YOUR

OBSERVATIONS.

Soluble/miscible in Soluble/miscible in
Cup Polarity
Sample WATER? OIL?
# (polar/nonpolar)
Y or N Y or N
(Ex) sodium chloride, Y N polar
NaCl
 1
2

Questions to Answer
1.