XP RIMENT

(
Observing the Reoctions of Household Chemicols
\_
f Deductive Chemicol Reosoning
i

L Purpose imaginations to provide an atomic or molecular

interpretation of the visible world.
. Sharpen your powers of observation.
Experimentation is a cycle of planning, observa-
. Practice describing reactions of ordinary tion, and interpretation. The planning of this experi-
( household chemicals with several reagents ment already has been done. You are coming in on
. Deduce from observed reaction patterns the the observation and interpretation steps of the cycle.
We call it a cycle because the planning, observation,
identity of a household chemical presented as
an unknown.
and interpretation of one experiment often naturally
lead into the next experiment.
When you see something happen in a chemical
Pre-Lob Preporotion reaction, try to begin thinking about how it can be
understood or interpreted at the atomic level. In sim-
One of the important goals of thefirst course in gen-
ple language, ask yourself the question, "What are
eral chemistry is to make connections or build
L bridges between three worlds of human experience:
the atoms doing, and why are they doing it?" To
answer these questions, you need to find out what
. The world of everyday life experience. This chemical substances are present and to begin con-
\_ includes the natural world around us and structing mental ideas and pictures of the possible
increasingly the products of human technology, ways that they can interact. An important part of this
including a vast array of chemical products not process is learning to write chemical equations and
previously found in the natural world even as chemical formulas and structures to explain your
L recently as 60 years ago.
. The visible world of the laboratory. The
laboratory observations.
We are not born with any knowledge of chemical
formulas and reactions. One step at a time, we must
L laboratory is where we perform experiments under
conditions that we control, and then observe what
patiently build our knowledge about what atoms can
do and why they do it. To make connections between
happens. Our observations are often assisted by
L instruments that work as extensions of our five
the observations and our atomic and molecular
interpretation of them, we must actively think about,
senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste).
or conceptualize, what the atoms and molecules are
Instruments allow us to measure things that we
doing. The quicker and better we learn to do this, the
ordinarily can't sense at all, such as weak electric or
greater the probability that we will be successful
L magnetic fields, or the flux of particles from a
radioactive source.
students of science and ultimately practicing scien-
tists, if that is our goal. Conceptualizing chemical
(
ln the general chemistry lab, touching and tasting processes is the hardest thing to do at the beginning,
chemicals are almost never done because of
when we have the least information stored in our
unknown hazards. Smelling chemicals is sometimes
heads and the least experience in interpreting things
cautiously done with supervision of a knowledgeable
at the atomic and molecular level. The rewards are
instructor and when there is every reason to believe
well worth the effort.
that there will be no harmful consequences.
i
In this first introductory experiment, we will
. The invisible microscopic world of atoms. focus primarily on learning to make careful
This is largely a world that we construct in our observations by studying the reactions of various

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 i
4-2 Observing the Reoctions of Household Chemicols

household chemicals with a series of reagents that . The evolution of a gas. Generally, you will see
test for different chemical properties. These house- bubbles of the gas forming in solution or on the
hold chemicals are available at most supermarkets. surface of a solid. If the evolution of the gas is
sufficiently vigorous, you may see the foam as it
Studying chemicol reoclions forms and hear a fizzing sound. We must be careful
about incorrect assumptions, however. If you heat
Before we begin our experiments, let's first think an aqueous solution to speed up the reaction, do
about the best way to carry them out. Usually, we not be fooled into thinking a gaseous reaction
don't try to mix together two solid substances, product is being formed when you may only be
Chemical reaction requires intimate contact between
observing the boiling of water to form bubbles of
the atoms of the reacting substances. When the reac-
water vapor (or steam).
tants are solids, we can achieve this only by grinding
them together. This is less convenient and often . Evolution or absorption of heat. If the reaction
unsafe because pure solid reactants are in a very is carried out in a test tube, the tube may get warm
concentrated form. A reaction that evolves a lot of or cold, depending on whether the reaction evolves
heat could lead to fires or even explosions. If the or absorbs energy (called heatin this context).
reactants are in a more dilute form, dissolved in Temperature changes involving liberation or
water, the water can absorb any heat evolved and absorption of small amounts of heat may be
also can provide a clear, transpargnt medium for detectable by using a thermometer, an example of
observing any reaction that takes place. Also, reac- using a simple instrument as an extension of the
tants in solution are easily mixed together. So, usu- SENSES.
ally one or both of the substances that we are going . You may detect no changes. This result is
to mix together will be a liquid or will be dissolved in
ambiguous. It may mean that no chemical reaction
water to form an aqueous solution.
is taking place, or it could mean that although a
chemical reaction is taking place, it is invisible to
Observing chemicol reoctions the eye. Many chemical substances, when dissolved
Relying mainly on sight, what things should we look in water, do not absorb visible light and therefore
for when we mix two chemical substances? The most appear colorless.
common visible changes that accompany chemical
reactions are the following: Pottern recognilion
. The formation of an insoluble solid when The human eye and brain are very good at recogniz-
two solutions are mixed. Besides the fact that it ing subtle features and discriminating between dif-
does form, the insoluble solid, or precipitate, may ferent patterns. For instance, babies very soon learn
appear to have particular characteristics. Formation to recognize the characteristic features of their par-
may occur immediately, or it may take some time. ents'faces and to recognize the differences between
The precipitate may be a finely divided suspension, them and the faces of strangers. We can make use of
or it may coagulate to form larger particles that this inborn human skill by thinking of our collected
rapidly settle out. It may be flocculent (forming observations in terms of patterns. By comparing
cottony looking tufts called flocs) or gelatinous chemical reaction patterns of various substances
(looking like a thick starch suspension). So you may with several test reagents, we can learn to distinguish I
need to include a number of specific adjectives to one substance from another. Or, if your instructor
give a more complete and accurate description, for presents to you as an unknown one of the substances
example, "a brown gelatinous precipitate formed." whose reaction pattern you have studied, you can
The word precipitate comes from the Latin word identify the substance from its characteristic reac-
meaning to "throw down suddenly," describing the tions. When applied to chemical reactions, this form
tendency of most precipitates to be formed as soon of pattern recognition is called qualitative analysis.
as the substances are mixed and for the solid
material to eventually settle to the bottom. Note: Be Whot you will do
careful not to mispronounce and misspell
In this experiment, you will be provided with a set of
"precipitate" as "percipitate."
household chemicals purchased at the supermarket.
. A visible color change. The color change may Each is composed predominantly of one active ingre-
take place in solution or may be associated with the dient that is specified on the label. You will mix each
formation of a precipitate. of these substances with a series of reagents whose
L Observing the Reoctions of Household Chemicols 4-3

Household Chemicals: Clorox or other brand of liq-

uid bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite); Lysol Toilet Bowl
\- Cleaner (9.5% hydrochloric acid); Arm & Hammer Baking
t, Soda (100% sodium bicarbonate); Vanish Crystal Bowl
Cleaner (62% NaHSOT); S & F Iris or other brand of blue
food color (FD & C Blue #1, listed in the Merck Indexas
L Brilliant Blue FCF).
Chemicals: 0.1 M AgNO3; L0 M CaCl2; 6 M HCI; 0.1%
l.- thymol blue indicator (I.0 g/L thymol blue, sodium
salt).

L It's helpful to provide students with preprinted

labels for the four household chemicals and five
reagent solutions. Students can tape the labels to
13 x 100 mm test tubes that contain the household
L chemicals and reagents. Fine-tipped polyethylene
transfer pipets can be stored in the test tubes when
they are not being used. Alternatively, the polyethyl-
ene transfer pipets can be labeled by taping a label to
the bulb with a circle of cellophane tape. If time is
L n
short, the pipets can be pre-filled with the household
chemicals and reagents by the stockroom assistant.
FIGURE 4-l i Four househotd
chemicals and five
I reagents are mixed in a 24-well reaction plate.

L SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
I Several of the household
L composition is specified. (lf the household chemical
chemicals are concentrated corrosive
solutions, as is the 6 M HCt reagent. WEAR
is a solid or concentrated liquid, you will first make EYE PROTECTION AT ALL TIMES. If you
\__
an approximately 5% solution of the substance in spill any of the household chemicals or
water.) You will carefully observe and record what reagents on your skin, immediately rinse
L happens when you add each reagent to a fresh sam- the affected area with water under the
ple of the household chemical, working on a reduced tap. Neutralize any acid or base spills
L scale in a 24-well reaction plate, shown in Figure 4-1.
Using the observed reaction patterns, you will be
with sodium bicarbonate, and sponge
them up immediately.
1 asked to identify two unknowns. Each unknown will
be one of the household chemicals whose reactions
you observed. All of the unknowns will be aqueous
L solutions, so if the unknown is a solid, it will be pre- ,/4, *orrE corrEcrroN AND .rEAN-UP:
sented to you as a 5% solution of the unknown in lB\yr.r, instructor will tell you if you
(*- water. If you are keeping a separate lab notebook, are going to be given two unknowns to
read through the experimental procedure and pre- identify. If so, you need to save the
pare a table to record your observations.
(,_ solutions and reagents that you will use
in part l.
The contents of the reaction plate
Experimentol Procedure wells can be disposed of by emptying
Special Supplies: 24-well reaction plates; ten polyeth- them into a large beaker, neutralizing the
I ylene transfer pipets (fine-tipped, 50 drops/ml); Handi- solutions with about 2 g of sodium
Wrap plastic film; preprinted labels; cellophane tape (see bicarbonate (baking soda), adding enough
Note to Instructor); ten l3 x 100 mm test tubes. water to dissolve the sodium bicarbonate,
4-4 Observing the Reoctions of Household Chemicols

in the beaker with a glass stirring rod until the solids

then flushing the solution down the drain have dissolved.
with plenty of water. Then rinse out the Next, obtain samples of each of the five reagents
reaction plate with tap water, using a test- in five clean 13 x 100 mm test tubes. About 3 mL of
tube brush or paper towel and detergent each solution (a test tube approximately 1/3 full) will
to clean out the wells in which a be sufficient. The five reagents are: blue food color
precipitate was formed, and follow with a (FD & C Blue No. 1 dye), 0.i M AgNO, (silver nitrate),
final rinse with deionized water. The 0.1% thymol blue indicator, 1.0 M CaCl2 (calcium
reaction plate can be used for part 2, chloride), and 6 M HCI (hydrochloric acid).
identifying two unknowns, if your Now take the 24-well reaction plate. Think of it as
instructor so directs. having four columns of six wells each. Each column
At the end of the experiment, the will correspond to one of the four household chemi-
unused household chemicals can be cals. To work as efficiently as possible, we will put a
collected together in a beaker, along with household chemical solution in each of five wells in a
the unused 6 M HCl, thymol blue indicator, column (the last well in each column will be empty).
blue food color, and L M CaClr. Neutralize Put enough of each solution in a well to cover the
the mixture with 2-3 g of sodium bottom to a depth of 2-3 mm (about 0.5 mL).
bicarbonate (about one level teaspoon), Now think of the plate as having five rows of four
and flush it down the drain, The unused wells each. Each row will correspond to one of the
0,1 M AgNO3 (silver nitrate) should be five reagents, and the wells are filled with the four
collected in a waste container labeled household chemicals.
t'silver nitrate waste.t' Add about three drops of each reagent to the four
household chemicals contained in a row. Caation! A
noxious substance (chlorine) is produced when
6 M HCI is added to Clorox Liquid Bleach. Do the addi-
tion of 6 M HCI in the fume hood.lt may help to view
7. Observing Reaction Patterns for Hoasehold the reactions against a white sheet of paper, or to lift
Chemicals Obtain a Z4-well reaction plate, nine up the plate and view the wells through transmitted
clean 13 x 100 mm test tubes in a test-tube rack, a light reflected from the white sheet of paper. The
30-mL beaker, and ten fine-tipped polyethylene formation of white precipitates is often best seen by
transfer pipets. Now obtain samples of the house- viewing against a dark background. As you add the
hold chemicals you will study: 2-3 mL of Clorox Liq- test reagents, note what happens when you first add
uid Bleach, approximately 0.5 mL of Lysol Toilet Bowl the reagent, then watch for 30 seconds or so to see if
Cleaner, and 0.5 g of baking soda. Also place about any further reaction takes place; finally, come back
0.5 g of Vanish Crystal Bowl Cleaner in a 30-mL and look at each well after 5 or 10 minutes have
beaker, (We're using a beaker for the Vanish rather passed and note any further changes. When you fin-
than a test tube because it foams a lot when water is ish, you will have observed 20 possible reactions.
added to it.) The Clorox will be used as received If you were well-prepared, you would already
(without dilution). have read this and prepared a data table in your lab
Read the labels of the four household chemicals, notebook before you came to lab, with columns and I
and record in your lab notebook the following: the rows to provide an organized space to record your
full commercial name of the product, the intended observations. Leave plenty of space-a full page in
purpose of the product, the active ingredient(s) your lab notebook-for recording the observations.
listed on the label and their amounts or concentra- When you have finished recording all of your
tions, and any special warnings about the proper use observations of the 20 possible reactions, look care-
of the product. fully at your data table. Is there a unique pattern of
Next, prepare solutions of the four household observations for each household chemical that
chemicals you will study. Add about 8 mL of deion- would serve to distinguish that chemical from the
ized water to each of the two test tubes containing others? For example, how is the pattern for baking
the Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner and baking soda and to soda different from the pattern for Lysol Toilet Bowl i.

the beaker containing the Vanish Crystal Bowl Cleaner? Could you tell the difference between them
Cleaner. Cover the mouths of the test tubes with a with just one test reagent? If so, which reagent would I

small piece of plastic film (Handi-Wrap) and, putting you use, and what differences would you look for?
your thumb over the mouth of the tube, shake them Save your solutions of household chemicals and
until the solution is thoroughly mixed and any solids reagents if you are going to do part 2, identifying
have dissolved. Stir the Vanish Crystal Bowl Cleaner two unknown household chemicals.
 Observing the Reoctions of Household Chemicols 4-5

2. Identifying an Unknown by lts Reaction Pat- Now we have a clearer picture, at the atomic level, of
t
tern Obtain a clean Z4-well reaction plate, or clean what the atoms are doing, and why it is a bad idea to
and use the same plate used in part 1. Put samples of mix chlorine bleach with acid-containing products to
the first unknown in five of the cells in one column of clean toilet bowls.
the plate and samples of the second unknown in the Now you try one: What happens when you add a
next column, and react them with the same five few drops of 0.1 M AgNO3 (silver nitrate salt) to Lysol
(_ reagents used in part 1. Compare the reaction pat- Toilet Bowl Cleaner, in which the active ingredient is
terns used for the unknowns with those previously HCI (hydrochloric acid)? What did you see happen?
determined for the four household chemicals in part What combinations of positive ions (Ag+ and H+)
t_ 1. Record your observations, your deductions based with negative ions (NO, and Cl ) could lead to for-
on the reaction patterns, and your conclusions about mation of a precipitate of an insoluble salt? Hir?fj The
the identity of the unknown(s) in your lab notebook. possible combinations we need to consider are AgCl
I

Also include them in your final laboratory report. and HNOr. We already know that the other two possi-

L ble combinations, AgNO, and HCl, are soluble in

water. (How do we know that?) So, a good guess
might be that the precipitate is AgCl (silver chloride)
W coNstDER rHts W or HNO, (nitric acid). Try looking up the properties of
AgCl and HNO, in your chemistry text, or in the CRC
The label on Clorox Liquid Bleach has several warn-
L ings. One says, "Do not mix with other household Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Which one is
least soluble? Now try to write a plausible set of
chemicals, such as toilet bowl cleaners, rust
products for the reaction
(- removers, acids, or products containing ammonia.
To do so will release hazardous gases." Ag*+NO3 +H++Cl--+?
L Likewise, the label on Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner
contains the following warning: "Danger: Corrosive- This is an example of a very common type of reac-
produces chemical burns. Contains hydrochloric tion in aqueous solution: the combination of a posi-
acid. . . . Do not use with chlorine bleach or any tive ion (called a cation) with a negative ion (called an
anion) to form an insoluble salt (or precipitate).
other chemical products."
L What did you observe when you added 6 M HCI to
Clorox Liquid Bleach? Let's begin in a small way to
try to answer the question, "What are the atoms
L doing in the reaction of Clorox with hydrochloric
acid?"
L First, let's provide a little background informa-
tion. The label says Clorox contains sodium
L hypochlorite (NaOCl). Clorox can be produced by
bubbling chlorine gas into an aqueous solution of

i sodium hydroxide. In the process, some NaCl is also

produced. A chemical equation describing the
process is
Bibliogrophy
L Cl2(g) + 2NaOH(aq) -+
Bosma, W. B., "Using Chemistry and Color to Analyze
NaCl(aq) + NaOCI(aq) + HrO (Clorox bleach) Household Products: A 10 12 Hour Laboratory
The sodium hypochlorite gives Clorox its bleaching Project at the General Chemistry Level," l. Chem.
action. Recall what happened when you added the Educ. L998, 75,274 275.
L blue food color and the thymol blue indicator to Myers, R. L., "ldentifying Bottled Water: A Problem-
Clorox. Did these colored materials get bleached? Solving Exercise in Chemical Identification,"
( The process can be reversed, forming noxious J. Chem. Educ.1998,25, I5B5-1587.
chlorine gas, when hydrochloric acid (or any acid) is
Ricketts, J. A., "A Laboratory Exercise Emphasizing
added to Clorox:
Deductive Chemical Reasoning," J. Chem. Educ.
NaOCI(aq) + 2HCl(aq) -+ Cl2(S) + HzO + NaCl(aq) 1960, 37, 31 r-312.

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I RE PORT 4
Reactions of Household Chemicals Name

Date Section

Locker Instructor_

(*
(__ -
Observotions

I. Reoctions of four household chemiculs orronged in four columns with five reogents orronged in five rows

\\_ Record your observations in the table below.

Household chemical

Lysol Toilet Vanish Crystal Clorox liquid

\- Reagent Bowl Cleaner Baking soda Bowl Cleaner bleach

L Blue food color

L
L
f 0.1 M AgNO,

L
\-

a 0.1% thymol blue

I

\__

(
1.0 M CaCI,

L
L 6MHCI

\.r"

L 4-7
2. ldentifying unknown household chemicols
Record in the table the identifying number(s) of your unknown(s) \-
Record your observations in the table below.

Reagent Unknown No. Unknown No.

Blue food color

0.1 M AgNO,

0.1% thymol blue

1.0 M CaCl,

\_
6MHCI

Summarize your observations and conclusions about the identity of your unknown(s)

4-8
 REPORT 4 SHEET 2

Name Date

(._

coNstDER rHts wffiffiffi;.

l. Explain concisely, using clear sentences and chemical equations, why it is dangerous to use an acid-
L containing toilet bowl cleaner with a chlorine liquid bleach.

e
L

L 2. Write a plausible chemical equation to interpret, at the atomic level, what you observed in the reaction of
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner with 0.1 M AgNOr.
L
L
L
\*
\_

f
(*
(_
I

4-9
l.

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\-