Lab work on Period Trends Zoja Krausova

Task: To compare the reactivity of two elements of the 3rd Period of the Periodic Table

Research Question: Which of the two elements (sodium and magnesium) is more reactive?

Knowledge and Understanding: Period trends are patterns revealed in the Period Table of elements. Periodic Trends are for
example: electronegativity and atomic radius. Reactivity is the rate at which a chemical substance tends to undergo a
chemical reaction. The number of electrons in the outer electron shell/valency shell of an atom determines its reactivity.

Hypothesis: Sodium will be more reactive, since reactivity of metals decreases from left to right, and sodium comes first.

Equipment: Tank/container, petri dish, tweezers/pliers, knife, filter paper

Chemicals: Sodium - Flammable, corrosive with water, Magnesium, indicator paper - phenolphthalein, water

Apparatus:
indicator paper
pliers/tweezers with sample

tank/container with water

Safety: Goggles, mask, lab coat, gloves

Method:
1. Fill up the water tank with water to about one third.
2. Place the indicator paper in the water tank.
3. Using tweezers/pliers, place a small piece of sodium into the water
4. Observe.
5. If nothing happens, place the filter paper into the water, and then place yet another piece of sodium on the paper
6. Observe
7. After you're done with your observations, pour out the water of the tank, and fill it up again
8. Place a piece of magnesium into the water
9. Observe

Results:
Observations Sodium Magnesium
Physical properties Brown and metallic, quick to oxide Black, spiral shape
Reaction with water Hissing, gradually dissolves into a Floats, sinks if touched and won't
white ball, floats float back up
Testing the products of reaction Turns indicator paper pink, lights up Nothing
on paper and burns and shoots pieces
Another observation A bit of an odd smell afterwards Nothing

Conclusion: Looking at my table of results, and my hypothesis, I can conclude that I was correct with my hypothesis. Not
only we can see that sodium has had many different reactions, while magnesium had none, we can also see how aggressive
reactions sodium possesses. You could easily tell that sodium is more reactive just by observing the two next to each other,
sodium was to immediately react with the air and oxide, while magnesium had no observable physical changes. When we
placed them into the water, we could instantly see how much more sodium reacted with the water, while magnesium just
floated around in complete peace. With this, I have confirmed that sodium is in fact, more reactive that magnesium.

Evaluation: As I stated in the conclusion, my hypothesis was correct. I didn't expect it to be wrong, since I followed the
periodic trend of reactivity, however, I didn't expect there to be such a big difference between the two elements. I
expected magnesium to have at least some sort of reaction, and I was a bit surprised when it wasn't doing anything. If I
were to do this experiment again, I would try comparing the other elements of the third period along with these two, for
example Chlorine of Sulfur, or possibly even comparing elements of a different period than the third