1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Saturated Aliphatic Hydrocarbon

Alkane
Methane is one kind of member from the hydrocarbon family. At the lab, it can be
produced by reduction of any kind halogenated alkane derivative. The reaction involves
of replacing one or more halogen atoms. It can be generalized as:

RX - reduction → HX

The chemistry of methane is one of characteristic of the alkane as a group. A

suitable test for determine alkene to differentiate from unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons
includes a treatment with bromine carbon tetrachloride. An alkane would have no reaction
happening in dark. When exposed to artificial light or sunlight, the colour of the bromine
is being let out little by little as substitution reaction are carried on and hydrogen bromide
(HBr) progressed. For HBr test, a mild blow of breath is let out over the mouth of the test
tube. If HBr exist, a cloud of droplets should be formed by the dissolved moisture from the
breath.

1.2 Unsaturated Aliphatic Hydrocarbon

Alkenes
A distinctive trait of an alkene hydrocarbon is the existence of carbon-carbon
double bond. The synthesis of an alkene is achieved by elimination of atoms from two closed
by carbon atoms. For example, the dehydration process of alcohol such as ethanol to
produce ethene. When the ethanol vapor went through a heated aluminium oxide, it breaks up
to as ethene and water vapour. The equation consists of:

There are two test to determine an alkene, one of them is by using bromine dissolved in
carbon tetrachloride. An alkene reacts with it at room temperature to form dibromides
when added immediately. The proof for the reaction is that the bromine colour is disappear
even without a presence of light with development of hydrogen bromide. The other one is
Baeyer Test, which alkenes undergo reaction with neutral permanganate to form glycols.
Alkynes

A distinctive trait of an alkyne is the presence of carbon-carbon triple bond. It

is prepared by elimination from molecules which makes up in pi bonds formation. For
instance, an ethyne or acetylene is made off by reaction between water and calcium
dicarbide. The reaction can be written off as:

CaC2 + 2H2O → Ca (OH)2 + C2H2

Alkynes gives a positive Baeyer Test for unsaturation with an aqueous solution of
potassium permanganate.

2. OBJECTIVES

i) To synthesize methane, ethene and ethyne.

ii) To distinguish the difference of the prepared methane, ethene and ethyne.
3.0. METHODOLOGY
3.1. MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENTS
MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS

10G Zinc Dust Pipette

60 ml ethanol Delivery tube

5ml chloroform Flask

1ml 10% copper sulfate solution Test tube

1g aluminium oxide Rubber stopper

3 small pieces of calcium dicarbide Retort

6ml tetrachloride Round bottom flask

12 ml 0.3% solution of potassium Wooden tong

permanganate
1ml acidified potassium permanganate Bunsen burner

6ml alkaline potassium permanganate

Rocksil wool
3.2. Methodology/Procedure

Part A.
Preparation of methane by reduction of chloroform

Add 10g of zinc dust into a 50ml round-bottomed flask

mounted in a ring stand. (Figure 1)

Add 10ml of ethanol and 10ml of water

Fit the flask with a rubber stopper and a delivery tube for
collection of the gas over water.

Add to the mixture 5ml of chloroform and 1ml of 10%

copper sulfate solution. (Figure 2)

The reaction may require several minutes to start. If it

becomes too rapid, cool the flask in a pan of cold
water.

After the air in the flask has been displaced, collect (over
water) at least 5 tubes of methane by keeping the bottles
(test tube) inverted over the water.
Preparation of ethene
Place rocksil wool at the bottom of test tube. Drop 8- 10
drop of ethanol until the rocksil wool has been soaked up
with ethanol. (Figure 3)

Place about 1g of aluminium oxide halfway along the tube.

(Figure 4)

Fit a cork and delivery tube to the test tube and heat the
aluminium oxide with gentle flame.

Collect at least 5 test tubes of ethene by displacement of

water.

Preparation of ethyne
Place 2 or 3 small pieces of calcium dicarbide in the test
tube and arrange the apparatus for collection of ethyne.
(Figure 5)

Add 2 or 3 drops of water at a time.

Collect at least 5 test tubes of ethyne by displacement of

water. (Figure 6)
Part B
Characterization tests for methane, ethene and ethyne

Prepare five sets of tubes, each set consist of 3 test tubes

containing methane, ethene, and ethyne.

To set 1A and set 1B, add 1ml of a 4% solution of bromine

in carbon tetrachloride. Put stopper on all the test tube.
Place one set of tubes (set 1A) containing methane, ethene
and ethyne in your drawer for 15 minutes. Leave the other
set (set 1B) in bright light (preferably sunlight). After 15
minutes, observe the results. Open the stopper and blow
your breath across the mouth of each tube (Figure 7). Note
and record any difference.

To set 2A, swirl about 2ml of a 0.3% solution potassium

permanganate in test tubes containing methane, ethene and
ethyne.(Figure 8) Record observations.

Set 2B, shake the tubes containing methane, ethene and

ethyne with alkaline potassium permanganate solution
(made by dissolving about 0. 1g og anhydrous sodium
carbonatein 1ml of 1% potassium permanganate solution)
(Figure 9). Record obervations.

Set 2C, add about 1ml of acidified potassium permanganate

(by adding 1ml of sulphuric acid to 0.5ml of 1% potassium
permanganate solution)(Figure 10). Record observation.
4.0 Result and Discussion
No Test Observation
Methane Ethene Ethyne
1 Set 1A No changes No changes No changes
Tubes left in darkness
2 Set 1B Colourless Colourless and Colourless and
Tubes left in a bright solution cloudy cloudy reaction
light solution
3 Set 1A & 1B Medium Less reaction Most reaction
Blowing across the reaction
mouth of each of the test
tubes
4 Set 2A Purple to Purple to Purple to brown
2ml of 0.3% potassium dark brown with precipitate
permanganate solution purple precipitate
5 Set 2B Purple to Purple to Purple to
1ml alkaline potassium dark dark dark
permanganate purple maroon coffee
6 Set 2C Purple to light Purple to Purple to light
2ml acidified potassium purple light purple
permanganate solution purple

5.0. Conclusion

Conclusion
Inconclusion, hydrocarbons are organic compound that soluble inorganic solvent. This
because hydrocarbons are non-polar solvent. However, aliphatic hydrocarbons are organic
compound compose of carbon and hydrogen atoms, arranged in straight chain and branched
structures. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are more reactive because the bond between the carbon
and hydrogen atoms are weak that make them easily broken. However, the presence of a
double bond can be shown by the decolourisation of bromine water. Bromine water can be
used to distinguish between alkane and alkene. This is because alkane decolourises
bromine water but alkane
doesn’t.
6.0. References

1. Strength and Testing of Materials (ENGR211204), Experiment of Bending Test,

Spring
2017.

2. Eugene Shapiro, Bending Testing pg 172- 184,2000.

3. Mechanical Properties and Testing of Polymers, Springer, G.M. Swallowe, ©

Springer Science + Business Media Dordrecht 1999.
7.0. Figure

Figure 2. Adding the mixture 5ml of

Figure 1. Adding 10g of zinc dust into a
chloroform and 1ml of 10% copper sulfate
50ml round-bottomed flask.
solution.

Figure 3. Place rocksil wool at the bottom Figure 4. Place about 1g of aluminium oxide

of test tube halfway along the tube.

Figure 6. Collect 5 test tubes of ethyne by

Figure 5. Placing 2 or 3 small pieces of
displacement of water.
calcium dicarbide in the test tube
Figure 7. Open the stopper and blow your Figure 8. Set 2A, swirl about 2ml of a 0.3%
solution potassium permanganate in test tubes
breath across the mouth of each tube
containing methane, ethene and ethyne

Figure 9.Set 2B, shake the tubes

Figure 10. Set 2C, add about 1ml of acidified
containing methane, ethene and ethyne
potassium permanganate
with alkaline potassium permanganate
solution

Figure 11. Collect and record data from the experiment.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Saturated Aliphatic Hydrocarbon

Alkane
Methane is one kind of member from the hydrocarbon family. At the lab, it can be
produced by reduction of any kind halogenated alkane derivative. The reaction involves
of replacing one or more halogen atoms. It can be generalized as:

RX - reduction → HX

The chemistry of methane is one of characteristic of the alkane as a group. A

suitable test for determine alkene to differentiate from unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons
includes a treatment with bromine carbon tetrachloride. An alkane would have no reaction
happening in dark. When exposed to artificial light or sunlight, the colour of the bromine
is being let out little by little as substitution reaction are carried on and hydrogen bromide
(HBr) progressed. For HBr test, a mild blow of breath is let out over the mouth of the test
tube. If HBr exist, a cloud of droplets should be formed by the dissolved moisture from the
breath.

1.2 Unsaturated Aliphatic Hydrocarbon

Alkenes
A distinctive trait of an alkene hydrocarbon is the existence of carbon-carbon
double bond. The synthesis of an alkene is achieved by elimination of atoms from two closed
by carbon atoms. For example, the dehydration process of alcohol such as ethanol to
produce ethene. When the ethanol vapor went through a heated aluminium oxide, it breaks up
to as ethene and water vapour. The equation consists of:

There are two test to determine an alkene, one of them is by using bromine dissolved in
carbon tetrachloride. An alkene reacts with it at room temperature to form dibromides
when added immediately. The proof for the reaction is that the bromine colour is disappear
even without a presence of light with development of hydrogen bromide. The other one is
Baeyer Test, which alkenes undergo reaction with neutral permanganate to form glycols.
Alkynes

A distinctive trait of an alkyne is the presence of carbon-carbon triple bond. It

is prepared by elimination from molecules which makes up in pi bonds formation. For
instance, an ethyne or acetylene is made off by reaction between water and calcium
dicarbide. The reaction can be written off as:

CaC2 + 2H2O → Ca (OH)2 + C2H2

Alkynes gives a positive Baeyer Test for unsaturation with an aqueous solution of
potassium permanganate.

2. OBJECTIVES

i) To synthesize methane, ethene and ethyne.

ii) To distinguish the difference of the prepared methane, ethene and ethyne.
3.0. METHODOLOGY
3.1. MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENTS
MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS

10G Zinc Dust Pipette

60 ml ethanol Delivery tube

5ml chloroform Flask

1ml 10% copper sulfate solution Test tube

1g aluminium oxide Rubber stopper

3 small pieces of calcium dicarbide Retort

6ml tetrachloride Round bottom flask

12 ml 0.3% solution of potassium Wooden tong

permanganate
1ml acidified potassium permanganate Bunsen burner

6ml alkaline potassium permanganate

Rocksil wool
3.2. Methodology/Procedure

Part A.
Preparation of methane by reduction of chloroform

Add 10g of zinc dust into a 50ml round-bottomed flask

mounted in a ring stand. (Figure 1)

Add 10ml of ethanol and 10ml of water

Fit the flask with a rubber stopper and a delivery tube for
collection of the gas over water.

Add to the mixture 5ml of chloroform and 1ml of 10%

copper sulfate solution. (Figure 2)

The reaction may require several minutes to start. If it

becomes too rapid, cool the flask in a pan of cold
water.

After the air in the flask has been displaced, collect (over
water) at least 5 tubes of methane by keeping the bottles
(test tube) inverted over the water.
Preparation of ethene
Place rocksil wool at the bottom of test tube. Drop 8- 10
drop of ethanol until the rocksil wool has been soaked up
with ethanol. (Figure 3)

Place about 1g of aluminium oxide halfway along the tube.

(Figure 4)

Fit a cork and delivery tube to the test tube and heat the
aluminium oxide with gentle flame.

Collect at least 5 test tubes of ethene by displacement of

water.

Preparation of ethyne
Place 2 or 3 small pieces of calcium dicarbide in the test
tube and arrange the apparatus for collection of ethyne.
(Figure 5)

Add 2 or 3 drops of water at a time.

Collect at least 5 test tubes of ethyne by displacement of

water. (Figure 6)
Part B
Characterization tests for methane, ethene and ethyne

Prepare five sets of tubes, each set consist of 3 test tubes

containing methane, ethene, and ethyne.

To set 1A and set 1B, add 1ml of a 4% solution of bromine

in carbon tetrachloride. Put stopper on all the test tube.
Place one set of tubes (set 1A) containing methane, ethene
and ethyne in your drawer for 15 minutes. Leave the other
set (set 1B) in bright light (preferably sunlight). After 15
minutes, observe the results. Open the stopper and blow
your breath across the mouth of each tube (Figure 7). Note
and record any difference.

To set 2A, swirl about 2ml of a 0.3% solution potassium

permanganate in test tubes containing methane, ethene and
ethyne.(Figure 8) Record observations.

Set 2B, shake the tubes containing methane, ethene and

ethyne with alkaline potassium permanganate solution
(made by dissolving about 0. 1g og anhydrous sodium
carbonatein 1ml of 1% potassium permanganate solution)
(Figure 9). Record obervations.

Set 2C, add about 1ml of acidified potassium permanganate

(by adding 1ml of sulphuric acid to 0.5ml of 1% potassium
permanganate solution)(Figure 10). Record observation.
4.0 Result and Discussion
No Test Observation
Methane Ethene Ethyne
1 Set 1A No changes No changes No changes
Tubes left in darkness
2 Set 1B Colourless Colourless and Colourless and
Tubes left in a bright solution cloudy cloudy reaction
light solution
3 Set 1A & 1B Medium Less reaction Most reaction
Blowing across the reaction
mouth of each of the test
tubes
4 Set 2A Purple to Purple to Purple to brown
2ml of 0.3% potassium dark brown with precipitate
permanganate solution purple precipitate
5 Set 2B Purple to Purple to Purple to
1ml alkaline potassium dark dark dark
permanganate purple maroon coffee
6 Set 2C Purple to light Purple to Purple to light
2ml acidified potassium purple light purple
permanganate solution purple

5.0. Conclusion

Conclusion
Inconclusion, hydrocarbons are organic compound that soluble inorganic solvent. This
because hydrocarbons are non-polar solvent. However, aliphatic hydrocarbons are organic
compound compose of carbon and hydrogen atoms, arranged in straight chain and branched
structures. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are more reactive because the bond between the carbon
and hydrogen atoms are weak that make them easily broken. However, the presence of a
double bond can be shown by the decolourisation of bromine water. Bromine water can be
used to distinguish between alkane and alkene. This is because alkane decolourises
bromine water but alkane
doesn’t.
6.0. References

1. Strength and Testing of Materials (ENGR211204), Experiment of Bending Test,

Spring
2017.

2. Eugene Shapiro, Bending Testing pg 172- 184,2000.

3. Mechanical Properties and Testing of Polymers, Springer, G.M. Swallowe, ©

Springer Science + Business Media Dordrecht 1999.
7.0. Figure

Figure 2. Adding the mixture 5ml of

Figure 1. Adding 10g of zinc dust into a
chloroform and 1ml of 10% copper sulfate
50ml round-bottomed flask.
solution.

Figure 3. Place rocksil wool at the bottom Figure 4. Place about 1g of aluminium oxide

of test tube halfway along the tube.

Figure 6. Collect 5 test tubes of ethyne by

Figure 5. Placing 2 or 3 small pieces of
displacement of water.
calcium dicarbide in the test tube
Figure 7. Open the stopper and blow your Figure 8. Set 2A, swirl about 2ml of a 0.3%
solution potassium permanganate in test tubes
breath across the mouth of each tube
containing methane, ethene and ethyne

Figure 9.Set 2B, shake the tubes

Figure 10. Set 2C, add about 1ml of acidified
containing methane, ethene and ethyne
potassium permanganate
with alkaline potassium permanganate
solution

Figure 11. Collect and record data from the experiment.