Performance Task

Ionic Compounds and Electrical Conductivity

Performance Task Description: As a young chemist, you are tasked to determine and
demonstrate to young students if an unknown compound is ionic or not. To do this, you
are to test if there’s electrical conductivity happening in the solution.
What you need:
9v battery (any cheap battery is fine)
Piece of electrical wire
2 small Alligator clips
5 Transparent cups
Distilled water (NOT Mineral water) You can buy from any convenient store but
look at the label if it is distilled water or mineral.
Mineral Water (or any Tap water from your faucet-NOT chlorinated water from
water district)
Table salt
Baking soda (You will be needing small amount, so don’t buy too much.)
Sugar
Instructions:
1. Attach the electrical wires on each polarity of the battery. Secure them using a
tape.

2. Using a marker or any pen, label each cup with the following:
Distilled water, Mineral or Tap water, Salt (NaCl), Baking soda NaHCO 3, Sugar

3. Half-fill the cup labelled accordingly with distilled water, and immerse the other
end of the electrical wire in it. Observe closely for bubble formation in the wire, if
any.
4. Repeat number 3 for tap water. Dry the wire first using any cloth before
immersing. Observe for any bubble formation, if any.
5. For the cup labelled table salt, pour distilled water and add ample amount of
table salt. Stir until the crystal salts are dissolved. Dry the wire first using any
cloth before immersing. Observe for any bubble formation, if any.
6. Repeat number 5 separately for baking soda and sugar. Make sure to dry the
wire first before immersing. Observe closely for any bubble formation, if any.

7. Answer the post lab sheet while doing the experiment. Use the following guide
questions/instruction for your discussion and analysis.

Guide Questions:
a. What are ionic compounds and how are they formed? What are cations and
anions?
b. How does distilled(pure) water differ from mineral(tap) water, in terms of ion
content and electrical conductivity? What could be the dissolved ions from the
tap water?
c. How does dissolved ions in water conduct electricity? What is an electrolyte?
d. Write the chemical reactions for the dissociation of Na +, Cl- and Na+, HCO3-
ions.