Physical Properties Demonstrations

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES DEMONSTRATIONS

QUALITATIVE:

Colour

Texture

Taste

Odour – remind students of the requirement to “waft” by having them smell ammonia

State at room temperature

Luster – copper (shiny), patina (dull), sheet of zinc metal has both a dull surface where it has oxidized and a shiny crease where it was folded and not exposed to air.

Brittleness – sulfur sample exhibits brittleness if hit with a hammer

Malleability – sheets of Cu, Al, Zn

Ductility – spool of Cu wire

Crystal shape – remind students of the characteristic crystal shapes demonstrated in the “A matter of States” video

Clarity – review terms transparent, translucent and opaque

QUALITATIVE

Hardness – discuss the Mohn’s scale (talc to diamonds)

Density – samples of equal volumes of water and Hg to compare density. Coke vs diet coke in cylinders of water (the diet coke floats and the coke sinks – 12 tbsps of sugar!) ***Note: put each can in upside down and drop it in the water on a slant to avoid trapping an air pocket under the can.

Viscosity – compare vegetable oil to water

Solubility – starch does not dissolve in water it settles. Dissolve salt in a beaker of water and use it to demonstrate ….

Conductivity – conductivity apparatus to compare conductivity of tap water and salt water. Include other electrolytes and non-electrolytes like acid, glucose solution, vegetable oil

Boiling point/ Melting point - characteristic boiling/melting point of all pure substances.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Reactivity with air – Cu oxidizing, Zn oxidizing

Reactivity with oxygen – burn steel wool in air vs burning it in a jar of oxygen. This is more of a rates of reaction demonstration but it demonstrates the difference between burning in air vs oxygen.

Reactivity with water – Alkali metal demonstrations (I usually wait and do these when we do family of elements)

Reactivity with acids – compare reactivity of Cu, Zn, Pb and Mg

Combustibility