IONIC & COVALENT COMPOUNDS LAB

PURPOSE To compare the physical properties of ionic and molecular (covalent) solids
HYPOTHESIS Based on your knowledge, which solid do you think is ionic and which is covalent? Explain

MATERIALS
 scoopula
 conductivity tester  distilled water-20 ml in a beaker (put 5 ml in each test tube)
 well plate  sodium chloride (s)
 hot plate  paraffin wax (s)
 5 test tubes & test tube rack  potassium carbonate (s)
 tin foil 5 X 5 cm  dextrose (s)
 unknown Substance (s)
PROCEDURE
****No chemicals are to be placed down the drain as they will clog the drain. Use the disposal beaker at the front of the room. For the waxy
substances, throw the tin foil into the garbage****
KEEP YOUR SAMPLES STRAIGHT BY LABELLING OR PUTTING THEM IN SOME TYPE OF ORDER THAT YOU KNOW.
1 Create an observation table in which to record data about the odour, hardness, crystalline structure,
melting point and conductivity in water for the 5 substances.
2 Using the scoopulas, obtain a small amount of each substance into a test tube to take back to your station.
3 Wait until you have performed 4-7 before you add your 5 ml of distilled water to each test tube.
4 Use the wafting technique to make an observation about the odour for each solid.
5 Use your scoopula to crush to compare for hardness.
6 Determine if the solid has a crystalline structure by viewing it.
7 Fold the edges of the tin foil up so that they make a sort of open tray, you don’t want the substances
melting and running off the foil. Tear a small piece off to do wax SEPARATELY. Place a small amount of
each of the remaining 4 solids side by side in the tin foil tray and put it on the hot plate.
Turn on the hot plate. Observe and record what happens.
8 Place a small amount of each solid in separate test tubes. Use a pipette and small beaker to take the
distilled water to your lab bench. Add some distilled water. Shake or stir. Record your observations
under “solubility” in water.
9 Pour some solution from each test tube from step 8 into a separate well on the well plate. Use the
conductivity tester. Record your observations.
10 Clean your workstation and return all materials neatly (remember not to pour anything down the drain).

ANALYSIS
1 What does a strong odour indicate about the ease with which the particles in the solid leave its surface?
Which type of solid had the strong odour?
2 What does a low melting point indicate about the bonds between particles in a solid?
Which type of solid had the low melting point?
3 Is solubility a good indicator of IONIC OR COVALENT compounds?
4 Based on your observations, which type of solid was harder? Explain.
5 From your observations to the above questions, which of the two types of solid (ionic/covalent) seems to
have stronger forces of attraction between the particles?

CONCLUSION
 Briefly summarize your observations
 Identify each substance as being covalent or ionic (refer to your hypothesis)
 What did you learn?