Emma-Marie Mathura.

4Y

Lab - Heating of substances

Aim : To investigate the effect of heat on solids

Apparatus and materials:

Copper carbonate (CuCO3), iodine (I2 (s)), lead (II) nitrate (PbNO3), ammonium dichromate
(NH4)2Cr2O7, Bunsen burner, four (4) test tubes, test tube rack, 1 metal test tube holder, red
litmus paper , blue litmus paper , 1 wooden splint, matches , limewater, delivery tube

Method
1) 1 Heaped spatula of copper carbonate was placed into a clean, dry test tube.
2) The appearance, color and consistency of the copper carbonate was noted
3) The test tube containing the copper carbonate was heated over a lit Bunsen burner using a test
tube holder
4) All changes that took place during heating were recorded
5) Steps 1-4 were repeated for the other three solids
6) All observations were recorded in table

Results and observations:

Title :
Table showing the observations when heating Ammonium Dichromate, Copper (I) Carbonate, Lead
(I Nitrate and Iodine.
Name, formula and appearance of Observations on heating Inferences
solid
Iodine - I2(s) Changed from a solid to a liquid Equation :
Black appearance Δ
Changed from black to purple I2(s) —-> I2(g)
-alkaline substance since red
Pungent smell litmus paper turned blue

Purple crystals formed on walls of -sublimation occurred

test tube so therefore this is a
decomposition reaction
Bubbling sound was heard

Changed red litmus to blue

Name, formula and appearance of
solid
Lead (II) Nitrate (PbN03)2
White powdery substance
Ammonium Dichromate
(NH4)2Cr2O7
Bright orange crystals
Copper (II) Carbonate
(CuCo3)
Light green powder
Observations on heating
Volume and color of solid remained
the same
Turned blue litmus paper red
Wooden splint became lit due to
presence of oxygen
Crackling sound was heard when
being heated
Walls of the test tube turned orange
Yellow lead oxide was produced
along with brown nitrogen dioxide
gas and oxygen gas .
Volume of the solid increased greatly
Orange sparks were seen and a
whooping sound was heard when
heated
Color of solid changed from orange
to mossy green
Colour changed from light green to
black upon heating
Turned red litmus paper blue
Carbon dioxide bubbled through the
limewater ,causing it to turn milky
white . (Calcium carbonate
precipitate)
(Limewater is calcium hydroxide
solution)
Inferences
2Pb(N03)2(s) —->
Δ
2PbO(s) + 4N02(g) + 02(g)
Thermal decomposition reaction took
place.
It is an acidic substance since blue
litmus paper turned red
(NH4)2Cr207 (s)——>
Δ
Cr2O3(s)+ N2(g) + 4H2O (g)
Upon heating ammonium dichromate
, mossy green chromium (III) oxide
crystals were produced.
This was an exothermic reaction
CuCO3(s)——>
Δ
CuO(s) + C02(g)
This reaction is a thermal
decomposition reaction.
Copper carbonate changed to black
copper oxide and carbon dioxide.
Effervescence was briefly observed
Carbon dioxide gas was released
when heating
Ca(OH)2(s) + CO2(g)
CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)
An Insoluble milky white precipitate
and water are produced when calcium
hydroxide reacts with carbon dioxide
gas .
This creates a double displacement
reaction.
Copper (II) Carbonate is a substance
with more basicity since red litmus
paper turned blue
Discussion -
In this lab, the thermal stability of a number of metals were tested along with their
thermal decomposition. Factors which influence the thermal stability of metals are
the nature and position of the functional groups and the metal hardness . All of these
solids underwent different reactions when exposed to heat . Their reactions had a lot
to do with their place in the reactivity series .
The thermal decomposition of copper (II) carbonate resulted in copper oxide and
CO2 , the thermal decomposition of Lead (II) Nitrate resulted in 3 products , Lead
oxide , nitrogen dioxide and oxygen . The decomposition reaction of iodine resulted
in a change of state and the exothermic reaction of ammonium dichromate produced
an almost volcanic reaction and made a large volume of green chromium(III) oxide,
steam and nitrogen gas . Copper itself is a relatively unreactive metal which makes
copper (II) carbonate be very thermally unstable so it decomposes at a relatively low
temperature. Lead (II) nitrate is an inorganic salt and a relatively thermally stable
compound so it must be heated at an above average temperature . The stability of
iodine is affected by storage conditions , iodine is a relatively stable compound so the
decomposition of iodine increases as the temperature gets higher. Ammonium
dichromate did not have a thermal decomposition reaction , instead it had an
exothermic reaction where a nitrogen gas was evolved. All solids underwent some
kind of change in this experiment.

Source of Error-
1) The test tube may not have been heated for an appropriate amount of time for the
solid to fully react
2) Experiment was done in an air conditioned room so the temperature when heating
may have been off

Precautions-
1) make sure to point the test tube away from other people in the lab
2) Make sure and wear and lab coat to prevent any dangerous substances coming
into contact with your skin

Limitations-
1) Short time period prevents you from properly having a look at all changes
2) Limited space in lab prevented how well experiment may have been done
Reflection -
From this lab I learnt about the different reactions of substances . It was a very
interesting lab and the reactions were a very entrancing to witness . Having never
done any experiment like this before it was a learning experience and I can now
appreciate the subject and how interesting it is a lot more .

Conclusion -
To summarize, Copper(II) carbonate decomposed to black copper oxide and carbon
dioxide creating a thermal decomposition reaction, Lead(II) Nitrate produced yellow
Lead oxide , brownish nitrogen dioxide gas and oxygen resulting in a thermal
decomposition reaction, Iodine changed to a purple liquid then gas creating a
sublimation and decomposition reaction and ammonium dichromate produced green
chromium (III) oxide crystals which caused an exothermic reaction.