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LAB 2:

Physical and Chemical Change

Abstract: This investigation explores the criteria used to distinguish between physical and
chemical changes in matter.

January 26, 2007

Chris Brown
Lab Partner: Beverly Howard

Introduction: Many of the properties of matter and the changes it undergoes can be easily
observed. Physical properties, like color and solubility, describe its appearance and how it
changes physically. Chemical properties, like flammability, describe how substance react.
Physical changes involve only a change of state or size. Chemical changes always produce new
substances. In this experiment, substances will be observed to determine their physical
properties, and will be tested to observe both physical and chemical changes.
Procedure: In Part A, I observed the physical properties of seven substances: sulfur, iron,
sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium chloride, sucrose, sand and magnesium. These properties
were state, color, odor, solubility in water and magnetism.
In Part B, I mixed iron and sulfur to see how it changed. I mixed sodium chloride and
sand in the same manner. This second mixture was then mixed with water and filtered, and the
filtrate was evaporated until dryness. Magnesium was burned and then mixed with hydrochloric
acid. Unburned magnesium was also mixed with hydrochloric acid. I heated sucrose until only
residue remained. Finally, I mixed sodium hydrogen carbonate with hydrochloric acid.
In Part C, the instructor heated a mixture of iron and sulfur to see how the mass would
change after a chemical reaction.
Data and Observations:
Substance
and formula
Sulfur, S

Physical
state
Blah blah

Color

Odor
Blah blah

Solubility
in water
Blah blah

Effect of
magnet
Blah blah

Blah blah

Iron filing,
Fe

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Sodium
hydrogen
carbonate,
NaHCO3
Sodium
chloride,
NaCl
Sucrose,
C12H22O11
Sand, SiO2

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Magnesium,
Mg

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

Blah blah

The trends I see are that all were solids, most were non-magnetic, most did not have an odor, and
almost half of them were soluble in water.

System
Fe and S mixture
-tested with magnet
NaCl and sand mixture
-mixed with water
-filtered
-filtrate allowed to evaporate
Mg
-burned in air
Mg
-reacted with 6M HCl
Combustion product
-reacted with 6M HCl
C12H22O11
-heated
NaHCO3
-reacted with 6M HCl
Fe and S mixture
-heated
Initial mass
Final mass

Observations
yada yada yada
yada yada yada

yada yada yada


yada yada yada
yada yada yada
yada yada yada
yada yada yada
yada yada yada

What I notice is that simply mixing two solids does not produce a chemical change, but heating
or burning substances and mixing things with hydrochloric acid seem to cause a chemical
change.
Calculations: (There were no calculations in this experiment)
Conclusion: In conclusion, I found that the substances that I observed varied greatly in their
physical properties. Some dissolved in water and some didnt, most were not magnetic and most
did not have a noticeable odor. All were solid at room temperature. This experiment showed
clearly the difference between physical and chemical changes that we were studying. When
items like iron and sulfur were mixed together, although they looked different, they each kept
their own properties and could be separated easily with a magnet. This was obviously just a
physical change. On the other hand, when the white sugar was heated, it turned into a black,
insoluble product, which clearly showed a chemical change. After completing this experiment, I
understand more clearly now what the difference between a physical and chemical change is.

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