On that happy note...
Lab day!!
fact!
So today we created some surprisingly wild reactions. In fact, there were 7. Some more interesting than others... Anyways, the purpose of this lab was to view the different chemical reactions (keep those eyes open!), explain and then classify them. Seems pretty simple, right?
So... fortunately, you probably don't have a bunsen burner at home, although I wouldn't be surprised if I found some copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate in your cupboards. haha jokes! but actually if you do, do not try to heat anything over your stove. You might have a difficult time explaining that one to the insurance company.
The first thing you must remember to do is put on those fancy-schmancy goggles. And do not take them off. Until the all-mighty one gives you permission. Even if you have a dent in your forehead/nose/both. Don't want to risk looking constantly surprised all week in the case that you accidently toast off your eyebrows. And if you have long, flowing, luscious (pushing it?) hair like myself, then you better tie it up. And then... (drumroll) You may begin!!
Reaction 1:
This reaction seemed neat at first, but the later reactions made it super lame, in retrospect. In case you had already forgotten, this was the experiment where you held the copper wire of the bunsen burner flame for a few minutes while watching it turn silver (!) but then black. I don't know if you noticed, but there were some pretty neat-o colour changes happening on that nail as it was adjusted over the heat. This was a synthesis reaction, as the copper nail was reacting with oxygen once the heat energy was added.
Reaction 2:
For this reaction, we put a shiny iron nail into a copper (II) sulfate solution, and left it in there for around 15min. *Yawn* But when we came back at the end, what did we find? Magic you say? I think not. What we saw was a single replacement reaction, as the iron bumped out the copper in the solution. That is why the nail had bits of metal stripping off like bark on a tree. We also viewed a bit of a colour change.
Reaction 3:
This reaction used the previously mentioned copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate (that blue powdery stuff). We placed it in a test tube, and then held it over the bunsen burner. The book warned us to be sure to angle the test tube towards someone you dislike. KIDDING. It actually specifically mentioned that we faced it away from people... How unfortunate. Funnily enough, the test tube clamp I used heated up during this reaction and I ended up using crucible tongs to hold the test tube clamp which held the test tube. It was a precarious situation. I would not recommend doing what I did.
Anyways, we then saved the remaining blue (but now whitish) stuff for reaction 4. This was an example of a decomposition reaction.
Reaction 4:
Once the blue stuff from reaction 3 had cooled, we were allowed to add water to it. So, this was a synthesis reaction. This caused the test tube contents to return to a blue colour, and after a while, it appeared slightly greenish. Made me think of mermaid tails. Which made me think of sushi... Cut me some slack it was right before lunch...
Reaction 5:
This was sort of neat. For this reaction, we added a calcium chloride solution to a sodium carbonate solution. They were both clear substances, so I thought this was going to be some lame-o reaction where there were bubbles for like 2 seconds and then it would be over... But I was pleasantly surprised! We observed a double replacement reaction. When the two solutions were combined, a solid (precipitate) was formed! weeeeeeeooooooooo. And it wasn't even clear! So that means colour was also added when the precipitate was created :)
Reaction 6:
Not gonna lie, when I saw mossy zinc on the material list I caught the giggles.
Seriously? Did that picture not enter your mind?
Awkward. Anyways, turned out the mossy zinc didn't look anything like that. Boy was I caught off-guard...
When hydrochloric acid was added to the solution, we saw bubbles!! And they just kept going... For like... well actually until we poured it out haha. Someone would have been excited...
This was another example of a single replacement reaction.
Reaction 7:
COOLEST. REACTION. EVER. Hydrogen peroxide + manganese (IV) oxide? Genius. And an environmentally friendly hand-warmer. ;)
When the black powder was added to the solution, the reaction was immediate. Smoke (yes that super-cool misty-type smoke that they use on TV) was formed. The bubbles created OWNED those from reaction 6. And that black powder? It became this nasty black viscous substance that kept creating these giant bubbles at the top of the test tube. And the amount of powder I added was so tiny that I thought nothing would happen! Glad to be wrong, for once. The coolest part of this experiment was definitely once we put the glowing splint over the test tube AND IT CAUGHT FIRE!! OVER AND OVER AGAIN!! UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO START CLEANING UP... Next time I go on a camping trip (ha who am I kidding... such a city slicker :P) I'm going to borrow some of that stuff. Forget flashlights. This is so much cooler.
I think it's safe to say I know which element was involved in this reaction.
Worst part of this lab? Trying to get that stupid blue stuff out the the test tube! That was 10min of my life I will never get back. It's funny, because Ms. Chen warned me beforehand that it would be a pain getting it out. I thought HA YEAH RIGHT. I sure paid for that one.
I hope my excited rambling didn't bore you to tears... But here's something to make up for it!!
Shish kabobs!
Heatherwantsdinner.
Hasta la vista!
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