Sourabh Das

25/01/2014

Conducting Synthesis, Decomposition, and Combustion Reactions

Pre-Lab Answers:
1. a. Synthesis Reaction: A + B AB b. Decomposition Reaction: AB A + B c. Complete Combustion of a Hydrocarbon: hydrocarbon + oxygen carbon dioxide + water 2. H2O2 is very reactive and if it is accidentally spilt on clothes, it may react violently and combust or corrode.

Question:
What happens to the elements and compounds in the synthesis , decomposition, and combustion reactions that are carried out?

Hypothesis:
1. The copper will react and become copper oxide on the surface which should look blackish in colour 2. The hydrogen peroxide will decompose with the catalyst manganese oxide. It will produce oxygen and water. 3. The first test tube will produce the most CO2 which can be indicated by the limewater turning milky.

Materials:
Wire (Cu) Powdered manganese oxide Small piece of CaC2 Solution of H2O2 Water Limewater (Ca(OH)2) 5 Wooden splints Sandpaper Crucible tongs Grease marker 5 Test tubes Test tube rack Test tube clamp 4 Test tube stoppers 500mL Beaker Scoopula Bunsen burner (and igniter) Safety equipment

Sourabh Das

25/01/2014

Procedure:
Part 1: Synthesis 1. Hold shiny wire in the hottest part of the ignited Bunsen burner for 1-2 minutes with crucible tongs. 2. Observe changes in the copper as it cools. Part 2: Decomposition 3. Hold a test tube with a clamp. Pour hydrogen peroxide and add powdered manganese oxide. 4. Observe reactions and test the gas being produced with a glowing splint. 5. Let the test tube cool and then dispose of contents safely. Part 3: Complete and Incomplete Combustion 6. Label 4 test tubes with 1, , , and 1/10 and mark the position at which they would be that much full. (e.g. full, full etc.) 7. Fill the test tubes with water (fully,) put a stopper and put it in a test tube rack. Fill the beaker to half full with water. 8. Add CaC2 to water to form acetylene. 9. Invert the 1st test tube and submerge the opening in the beaker. Remove the stopper and let the acetylene being formed, displace the water. When the test tube is completely displaced, restopper the test tube. 10. Repeat step nine with the other test tubes so they are displaced up to their respective marked positions. 11. Hold the first test tube with a clamp in a horizontal position. Remove the stopper and ignite the gas with a burning splint immediately. Add limewater to the test tube right after the reaction is over and restopper it. Shake vigorously and observe any reactions. 12. Repeat step 11 for the other test tubes.

Sourabh Das

25/01/2014

Observations:
Part 1: Synthesis Part 2: Decomposition Before Shiny orange brown in colour H2O2 quite stable; manganese oxide in layer above H2O2 Test tube 1: During Starting to turn blackish Steady rate of bubbles rising through the manganese oxide The acetylene burned in a flash at the mouth of the test tube After Completely shiny silver in colour Glowing splint relit with a pop when brought into contact with the gas that was released Small amount of soot formed at the mouth of the test tube; limewater started to turn milky

Part 3: Complete and Incomplete Combustion

Test tube 2 ():

The flame started at the mouth of the test tube and travelled down to the bottom The flame travelled down the tube faster than it did in test tube 1

Soot formed along the interior wall of the test tube; limewater turned milky

Test tube 3 ():

Interior wall of test tube covered in soot, with cracklike patterns where the soot was missing near the mouth of the test tube; limewater turned very milky and dirty Little soot covering the interior wall of test tube; limewater turned a little milky

Test tube 4 (1/10):

The flame travelled extremely quick in a flash down the test tube, and made a loud popping sound

Sourabh Das

25/01/2014

Post-Lab Answers:
1. a. A chemical change could be observed by the change in colour of copper b. 2Cu + O2 2CuO 2. a. Oxygen was produced. H2O2 decomposed to form H2O and a gas. The only possible gas it can form is O2. b. 2H2O2 2H2O + O2 3. a. Complete combustion occurred in test tubes 2, 3 and 4. As test tube 1 was filled with acetylene, there was no oxygen and combustion could only occur at the mouth of the test tube. All the other test tubes has air (oxygen) mixed with acetylene which allowed the hydrocarbon to burn. b. 2C2H2 + 5O2 4CO2 + 2H2O c. Test tube 1 had no exposure to oxygen except for the mouth of the test tube. This is where the combustion took place. The rest of the acetylene inside the test tube did not combust completely. d. Carbon monoxide was formed.

5. If the compound decomposes into the useful pure element and another compound/element, the useful element could be easily obtained from the compound. 6. It depended on the number of carbon atoms in the test tube to start with and how much of it reacted or didnt react, which formed the soot.

Conclusion:
The first reaction showed that the copper does indeed react with air to form copper oxide which was seen in a colour change. In the second reaction, the presence of effervescence the amount of manganese oxide did not change throughout the reaction showing that it was a catalyst in the reaction. The gas that was formed was tested with a glowing splint which relit, which showed that the gas produced was oxygen. In the third test, I didnt account for the amount of oxygen in test tube which led me to conclude that test tube 1 would have the biggest reaction. However, from the test, test tube 4 created the fasted reaction whereas test tube 3 seemed to produce the most soot. The cracked pattern could be due to the positioning of the molecules during the reaction which caused it to be spread out in such a manner. They all had CO2 in differing amounts which was tested with the limewater.