Experiment 3 is about the Changes of matter, the law of conservation of

mass and the flame spectra.

The first experiment to be done was about the changes of matter. The two
types of changes are physical change and chemical change. First is the physical
change wherein only the physical property of the material or substance is changed
and second is the chemical change wherein the chemical property of the substance
or material is changed. In this experiment, several solutions were mixed, and
burned so as to be able to observe physical and chemical changes. There were ten
observations done in this part of the experiment and every observation is going to
be discussed. These observations are:

1. Rubbing alcohol in a watch glass

Observation: It was seen that the alcohol (from being liquid) evaporated after
sometime and became gas.
Type of Change: Physical Change
Explanation: Rubbing alcohol tends to evaporate quickly at room
temperature. This is because the molecules in an alcohol are not bonded
together tightly and is said to have a weak bond. Alcohol lacks hydrogen
bonds causing it to evaporate more easily. Rubbing alcohol, from being liquid,
turned into gas. This change of state from liquid to gas is just a physical
change, since there are no changes in the chemical property of the alcohol.
2. Heating blue vitriol
Observation: The blue vitriol, after heating, turned into the color white.
Type of change: Physical Change
Explanation: Blue vitriol, after heating, turns white. This is due to the heat
absorbed by the vitriol. Blue vitriol is copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate
(CuSO4.5H2O). When heat is applied to blue vitriol, the water evaporates and
becomes vapour, thus only the anhydrous copper(II) sulfate remains. The
anhydrous CuSO4 is the white residue left after heating the blue vitriol. It is
given by the equation
CuSO4.5H2O(s) + heat -> CuSO4(s) + 5H2O(g)
Since the only change is the evaporation of water, this is considered to be as
a physical change. Even though the substance has changed color, copper(II)
sulfate pentahydrate after heating is still copper(II) sulfate and hydrogen
oxide. The only difference is that they have separated. When copper(II)
sulfate is added with water, the blue color comes back and becomes
copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate once again. The process is reversible, thus
this is just a physical change.
3. Blowing into Calcium Hydroxide solution
Observation: Upon blowing into the calcium hydroxide, the solution slowly
turned from being colorless to opaque white. Also, it was observed to have
bubble formation at the top of the solution.
Type of Change: Chemical change
Explanation: Our breath contains carbon dioxide. As we blow into the
colorless calcium hydroxide solution, the carbon dioxide reacts with the
 solution. This reaction would form an opaque white solution of water and
calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is a white substance that is
responsible for the milky color of the resulting solution. Thus, it can be
concluded that this is a chemical change. There were observed changes in
the chemical composition of the solution. It is given by the equation.
Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)
4. Mixing ferric oxide and sodium hydroxide
Observation: After mixing, the golden yellow solution changed to a brownish
liquid and it was observed to have the formation of precipitates.
Type of Change: Chemical Change
Explanation: Ferric oxide reacted with sodium hydroxide and formed a
solution of ferric hydroxide and sodium chloride. This is given by the
equation,
FeCl3 (aq.) + 3NaOH = Fe(OH)3 + 3NaCl
The precipitate form in the product is the ferric hydroxide. It is a reddish
brown precipitate that is also responsible for the color of the liquid. The liquid
in the product is sodium chloride which is just a colorless substance. From
this, we can conclude that this is a chemical change. There were observed
changes in the chemical structure of the solution, from being ferric oxide &
sodium hydroxide, it became Ferric hydroxide and sodium chloride.
5. Adding calcium carbide to distilled water
Observation: The addition of calcium carbide resulted in the change of the
color of the solution from colorless to milky white. It also resulted to the
formation of gas, emission of heat and precipitates were also formed.
Type of Change: Chemical Change
Explanation: The addition of calcium carbide to water ignites a reaction that
produces acetylene gas and Calcium hydroxide. It is given by the equation,
CaC2 + 2 H2O C2H2 + Ca(OH)2
Acetylene gas is responsible for the bubble formation in the solution and
Calcium hydroxide is responsible for the milky color of the resulting solution
and is the precipitate in the solution. From this, we can conclude that a
chemical change occurred because of the formation of new compounds and
the change in the solutions chemical properties and composition.
6. Adding magnesium ribbon to hydrochloric acid
Observation: Bubble formation was observed and heat was emitted
throughout the reaction.
Type of change: Chemical Change
Explanation: Magnesium ribbon reacted to the hydrochloric acid and is given
by the equation,
Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq) --> MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)
The formation of bubbles is due to the Hydrogen gas escaping the solution.
The liquid left in the solution is magnesium chloride. This is clearly a chemical
change since there were changes in its chemical composition.
7. Ignition of rubbing alcohol
Observation: After ignition, the rubbing alcohol was burned and eventually
turned into gas.
 Type of change: Chemical change
Explanation: Upon ignition, rubbing alcohol reacted with oxygen. This reaction
formed carbon dioxide and water. It is given by the equation,
2C3H7OH(l) + 9O2(g) --> 6CO2(g) + 8H2O(l)
The change of rubbing alcohol into carbon dioxide and water is clearly a
chemical change.
8. Adding concentrated sulfuric acid to sugar
Observation: After the addition of concentrated sulfuric acid, sugar turned
from white crystals into golden yellow in color and eventually turned into a
black color.
Type of change: Chemical change
Explanation: As sulfuric acid is added, the sugar becomes dehydrated. The
reaction of sulfuric acid and sugar is given by the equation
C12H22O11 (Sugar) + H2SO4 (Sulfuric Acid) 12C (Graphite) + 11H2O (Water) + A mix of water and acid
The addition of sulfuric acid to sugar is a dehydration reaction. Sulfuric acid is
responsible for the dehydration of sugar. When sugar is dehydrated, water
separates from it, leaving just carbon. The black substance resulting from the
reaction is due to the presence of Carbon. Clearly, this shows a chemical
change.
9. Mixing calcium chloride and sodium carbonate
Observation: After mixing calcium chloride with sodium carbonate, the color
of the solution changed from colorless to opaque white. Also, from water, the
solution turned into a gelly-like substance.
Type of Change: Chemical Change
Explanation: The reaction of calcium chloride and sodium carbonate is a
double displacement reaction. It is given by the equation
CaCl2(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) --> CaCO3(s) + 2NaCl(aq)
In this reaction, Calcium separated from chlorine and Sodium separated from
carbonate. Calcium then bonded with carbonate and Sodium bonded with
chlorine. This is known as double displacement. Clearly, interchanging the
bonded elements changes the chemical composition of the substance. Thus,
this makes it a chemical change.
10.Cutting iron wire
Observation: After the iron wire was cut, no specific changes happened
except for the change of size, and number of iron wires.
Type of change: Physical change
Explanation: The change that happened is that, when the iron wire was cut,
from being one solid iron wire, it became two solid iron wires. The iron wire
was just divided. It is clear that there is no chemical change, just a physical
change.

From these, we can conclude what are the differences of physical and
chemical change. Physical changes are as follows:

Chemical change involves a reaction that may cause the change of color of a
substance, formation of gas, formation of precipitates and emission or absorption of
heat. These are the evidences that determine a chemical change.
 The second experiment is about the law of conservation of mass. It is stated
in the law that Mass can neither be created nor destroyed. In applying it to
chemistry, the mass of the reactants should equal the mass of the products. In
order to testify the validity of this law, two experiments were made.

The first experiment used sodium carbonate and calcium chloride. The mass
of the reactants, namely sodium carbonate and calcium chloride, was 83.82 grams.
Then, these two compounds were mixed and weighed. The products then showed a
weight of 83.82 grams, same with the weight of the reactants. This validates the
law of conservation of mass since the mass of the reactants is equal to the mass of
the products. Meaning,

Na2CO3 + CaCl2 -> CaCO3 + 2NaCl

Mass of reactants = Mass of products

83.82 = 83.82

The second experiment used Calcium carbonate and sulfuric acid. The mass
of the reactants weighed 83.96 grams. An after mixing the reactions, it weighed
83.95 grams. One may think that this violates the law of conservation of mass, but
it doesnt. Looking into the chemical equation of the reaction,

CaCO3 + H2SO4 -> CaSO4 + H2O + CO2 + heat

Upon the reaction of calcium chloride and sulfuric acid, the products calcium
sulphate, water and carbon dioxide were formed. The reaction also emitted heat. As
seen in the reaction, carbon dioxide was formed, and this gas would have already
left the solution and be mixed with the air. Due to this, the only substances that the
electronic balance measured were calcium sulfate and water. Due to this reason, the
mass of the products became less than the mass of the reactants. Counting also the
mass of carbon dioxide released by the solution, the mass of the reactants would
still equal the mass of the products. Thus, this still proves the law of conservation of
mass to be true.

The third experiment is about the flame spectra. Flame tests can be used to
identify an unknown substance through the color of flame that it emits. Each
element has its own specific color which is the basis for the flame test. Flame tests
were done on seven elements, namely sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium,
strontium, barium and copper. The results of the flame test are as follows:

There was an unknown solution tested using the flame test and it resulted in
the color light violet. From the data gathered, the ion that contains the color light
violet is potassium, therefore it may be concluded that the unknown solution is a
potassium chloride.
 Though flame test can be done to identify an element, the use of it is still
limited. Some elements may have the same color to the human eye. Though each
and every element has its own unique and specific color, wavelengths of lights with
close energy levels appear to our eyes as one and the same color. This makes it
difficult to identify an element accurately through the flame test. Just like Lithium
and Strontium, both of which shows red flame, it would be difficult for us to identify
whether a red flame is lithium or strontium.