Experiment 2.
Author: Hudson Webb
Team members: The Class
Date of experiment: September 3, 2024
Date report submitted: September 10, 2024
Seminar: Chemistry
Mrs. Canche
Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the electrical conductivity of ionic and covalent
compounds when dissolved in water.
Hypothesis
Ionic compounds will conduct electricity in water, while covalent compounds will not.
Background
The presence of ions primarily determines electrical conductivity in solutions. Ionic compounds dissociate
into their constituent ions when dissolved in water, allowing them to conduct electricity. In contrast,
covalent compounds do not dissociate into ions and therefore do not conduct electricity.
Materials
- Distilled water
- Baking soda (½ teaspoon)
- Table sugar (½ teaspoon)
- 9-volt battery
- 2 pieces of insulated wire
- Scissors
- Tape
- 100-mL beaker
Experimental Procedure
1. Rinse a 100-mL beaker with tap water, then with distilled water, and add approximately 80 mL of
distilled water to the beaker.
2. Strip the ends of two insulated wires to expose about 2 cm of bare wire. Connect one end of each wire
to the terminals of a 9-volt battery using tape for a secure connection.
3. Immerse the bare ends of the wires into the distilled water without allowing them to touch. Observe for
any signs of conductivity.
4. Remove the wires, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the water, and stir until dissolved. Immerse the
wire ends again and observe for bubble formation.
5. Rinse the beaker and repeat the experiment using table sugar instead of baking soda, noting any
changes in conductivity.
Results
In the initial trial with distilled water, no bubbles formed around the wire ends, indicating that pure water
does not conduct electricity. After adding baking soda, bubbles rapidly formed around the wire ends,
showing that the baking soda solution was conductive. In contrast, when table sugar was added to the
water, no bubbles formed, indicating that the sugar solution did not conduct electricity.
Conclusion
This experiment demonstrated that ionic compounds, such as baking soda, can conduct electricity when
dissolved in water due to the formation of ions. In contrast, covalent compounds like table sugar do not
dissociate into ions and, therefore, do not conduct electricity in solution. This highlights the fundamental
difference in behavior between ionic and covalent compounds in aqueous solutions.
