The Deconstruction of Chemical Reactions in a Lab

Chemical Reactions Lab Report

The purpose of this lab was to see what chemical reactions are like, before we started working with predicting reactions. This lab enables the students to witness the solid, gas, and liquid states of compounds, and see how they change from one to another.

Part A) 2Mg(s) + O2(g) 2MgO(s)

Because the Bunsen burner is constantly lit under the crucible the entire lab, the delta should be over the arrow. Oxygen is added to magnesium because oxygen was in the air. The reaction is a solid because MgO is an ionic compound.

This is a synthesis reaction.

Part B) Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) CaCO3 + H2O(l)

Since the limewater turned milky, I know that CO2 must have passed through it. Therefore, I know that CO2 is the gas that was released from the heated CuCO3.

This is a double displacement reaction.

Part C) Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) ZnCl2(aq)+ H2(g)

Since the gas created a noise when a match was put up to it, I know that hydrogen was the gas that was released when the Zinc reacted with Hydrochloric acid. The reaction doesn’t stay strong for too long because, when holding a match under the test tube every 45 seconds, a pop was only heard three times.

This is a single replacement reaction

Part D) CuCl2(aq) + 2NaOH(aq) Cu(OH)2(s) + 2NaCl(aq)

Once the sodium hydroxide was added to the copper (ii) chloride, it immediately turned into a thick-looking blue solution that had a white fizz in it. The thickness looked to be from solids in the reaction. Once it set for five minutes, the white fizz covered the exterior which defiantly showed a solid in the reaction.

This is a double displacement reaction.

Part E) Zn(s) + 2Cl(l) ZnCl2(aq)

When mixed, the test tube became warm, and the zinc dissolved and mixed with the chlorine to form zinc chloride.

This is a synthesis reaction

Part F) 2H2O2(aq) 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

The hydrogen peroxide’s reaction, which was sped up by potassium iodide, formed water with an oxygen gas coming out. The hydrogen peroxide could have had this reaction by itself to an extent, but the potassium iodide really upped the reaction.

This reaction is decomposition

Part G) 2CH3OH(l) + 3O2(g) 2CO2(g) + 4 H2O(l)

The oxygen has to be added to the methanol because the methanol vapors burned, and they couldn’t burn without oxygen. Also, water was left over in the container after it was lit.

This is a combustion reaction.

Potassium iodide is a catalyst in elephant toothpaste because the iodide ion reacts with the hydrogen peroxide to form water and the hypoiodite ion. The hypoiodite ion then reacts with the hydrogen peroxide to create water, oxygen, and an iodide ion. Since another iodide ion is formed, the cycle can repeat itself thousands of time and speed up the reaction. The balanced equations for these two reactions are H2O2(aq) + I(aq) H2O(l) + IO(l) and IO(l) + H2O2(aq) H2O(l) + O2(g)+ I(l)

This Lab let me set up and balance equations that I had done before. The lab also let me see what the types of reactions, like combustion, look like. The lab was great help to my knowledge of chemical reactions.