HASPI Medical Chemistry Lab 3a

Determining Bonding Types

Teacher Information
Lab Overview
In this lab students are given three unknown substances and need to deduce which is
ionic, which is covalent and which is polar covalent through testing the solubility, melting
point and conductivity of the substances. The background explains the role that
electrolytes play in the body.
Next Generation Science Standards
NGSS/Common Core State Standards
Students who demonstrate understanding can:

HS-PS1-1: Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements
based on the energy level of atoms.
HS-PS1-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the structure of substances at
the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
Medical Application: Students study the role of electrolytes in the body.
Science and Engineering
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
Practices
PS1.A: Structure and Properties Patterns
Developing and Using Models
of Matter
Develop a model based on
Different patterns may be observed
Each atom has a charged
evidence to illustrate the
at each of the scales at which a
relationships between systems or substructure consisting of a
system is studied and can provide
between components of a system. nucleus, which is made of protons evidence for causality in
and neutrons, surrounded by
explanations of phenomena.
Planning and Carrying Out
electrons.
Investigations
Plan and conduct an investigation The periodic table orders elements
individually and collaboratively to horizontally by the number of
produce data to serve as the basis protons in the atoms nucleus and
places those with similar chemical
for evidence, and in the design:
properties in columns. The
decide on types, how much, and
accuracy of data needed to produce repeating patterns of this table
reflect patterns of outer electron
reliable measurements and
states.
consider limitations on the
precision of the data (e.g., number The structure and interactions of
of trials, cost, risk, time), and refine matter at the bulk scale are
determined by electrical forces
the design accordingly.
within and between atoms.
Connections to other DCIs in this grade-band: HS.ESS2.C; HS.LS1.C
Articulation of DCIs across grade-bands: MS.PS1.A; MS.PS1.B; MS.PS2.B
Common Core State Standards Connections: ELA/Literacy RST.9-10.7
Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g.,
a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an
equation) into words. (HS-PS1-1)
RST.11Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to
12.1
important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. (HS-PS13)
WHST.9Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self12.7
generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation. (HS-PS1-3)

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WHST.1112.8

Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific
task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for
citation. (HS-PS1-3)
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (HS-PS1-3)

WHST.912.9
Common Core State Standards Connections: Mathematics HSN-Q.A.1
Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose
and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs
and data displays. (HS-PS1-3)

Objectives
By the end of this activity students will be able to:
Describe the role electrolytes play in the body
Determine weather a substance is ionic or covalent based on comparison of
melting points
Identify the solubility of a substances to determine weather the compound is ionic
or covalent
Use evidence to identify an unknown substance
Time

Estimated Time
Setup: 30 minutes

Actual Time (please make note below)

Background and review

questions: 10-20 minutes
Lab: 60 minutes
*Station 1 can be done in
advance in order to shorten
the lab time for a 45 minute
class period
Materials
Supplies needed for 5
sections

Provided
(P) or
Needed (N)

10 groups per period

Fructose

Paraffin Wax

Aluminum Foil

Baking Soda

Electrolyte Drink Powder

Conductivity Meters *
Beakers*

N
N

Quantit
y

1 gram
per group
2 feet per
kit
1 gram
per group
1gram
per group
5
5

Company/
Item #

Approxima
te
Cost

Amazon
#B001F8ROTG
Grocery Store

$11

Grocery Store

$0.50

Grocery Store

$1

Grocery Store

$2

Flinn #AP1493

$22 each

HASPI Medical Chemistry Unit 3: Intramolecular & Intermolecular Forces

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Hot Plates
N
6
DI Water or Distilled Water
N
1 gallon
Grocery Store
Cheese Grater
N
1
Grocery Store
*If you do not have conductivity meters this lab can still be done, just skip part 4, conductivity. See notes
below

Company Contact Information

Amazon
www.amazon.com

Grocery
Can be found at any local
grocery store

Flinn
www.flinsci.com
1-800-453-1261

Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should already know the following information:
The basics of ionic, covalent and polar covalent substances
The fact that an ionic compound dissociates in water and a covalent compound
does not
It is also helpful to know the basic differences between the intermolecular forces
between a polar substance and a non-polar substance
Lab Setup
This lab is best setup as stations to minimize the equipment you will need. Set up
multiples of each station so that students can rotate through them all. Students do not
have to do the stations in any specific order.
Labeling of the unknowns
Label the Fructose as A, the Baking Soda as B and the wax as C
Preparation of the Paraffin Wax
Use a small cheese grater to grate the wax into tiny pieces. Students are
intrigued by the curly bits of wax and they have worked fine in lab, but if you
want them even smaller you can throw them in your food processor and
make them into tiny pieces.
Station 1 Modeling
Students will just draw the bond types. Providing them with books, internet
access or printed pictures of ionic, covalent and polar substances will help
them to best model what each bond type looks like.
Station 2 Melting Point
Set out containers of each substance
Show students how to make a small 3 part boat out of aluminum foil.
Be sure to remind them to remove the boat after the second substance melts
as that will be enough information to determine melting order.
Station 3 Solubility
Label 3 beakers A, B and C. Add a small amount of each substance along
with some water. Be sure that the Fructose and Baking soda are fully
dissolved and you didnt accidentally make a supersaturated solution or it
will create inconsistencies in the student data.
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*Tip If you have a container that seals, like a jar, you can use that instead
to allow students to turn the substances upside down and to be sure they
dont add anything to the sample.
Station 4 Conductivity
Set out separate small beakers for each of the substances to be tested. For
each substance use a separate conductivity meter to reduce chances of
contamination. It is recommended that you put only a small layer of the
substance to be tested at the bottom of the beaker so that the student does
not dip the meter into the water beyond the probes. If they put the
conductivity meter in too far they may damage the meter. Make sure to set
out directions on how to read your conductivity meter if needed.
Lab Notes & Misconceptions
This lab will take the students at least an hour to complete. If you have them do
station 1 modeling on a different day this can cut the time down, but you may
need to set up additional stations.
Station 1 can also be done as a class wide activity. Have students draw what they
think the differences are, then have them collaborate with a partner to update
their drawing using books or web resources. This is a great chance to do a gallery
walk and have the students look at the drawings that other groups have made,
then come back and create their final drawings.
Lab Notes & Misconceptions (continued)
Be careful having students rinse your conductivity meters they tend to squirt the
DI water too high and can wet the meter itself. This is why I recommend having
them squirt water onto a paper towel, then use the paper towel to clean the
conductivity meter.
If you have only 1 conductivity meter you can do a class wide demonstration of the
conductivity of each substance.
If you dont have conductivity meters you can still get a lot out of the lab even if
you skip station 4. The melting points and solubility tests are great ways to study
this without those expensive tools. You can also challenge your students and
make your own conductivity meters.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/CondTester/SolutionConductivity.htm
http://www.instructables.com/id/Conductivity-Meter/
Connections & Applications
Make your own conductivity meter:
o http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/CondTester/SolutionConductivity.htm
o http://www.instructables.com/id/Conductivity-Meter/
Fructose Reading: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2467321/
Give students a number of other unknowns and have them develop a lab
procedure to determine their bonding types
Complete the Intermolecular Forces Round Robin HASPI lab to extend their
understanding of intermolecular forces
Resources & References
References:
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http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/information/question565.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/268996-symptoms-of-low-potassium-of-electrolytes/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_21c/natural_environment/hyd
rosphererev2.shtml
http://www.utdallas.edu/~brikowi/Teaching/Field_Methods/Lab_3_Background.html
http://zube.brinkster.net/SCH3U21/Reactions/Reading/stateparticles.jpg
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/theneuron.html
http://www.bem.fi/book/03/03.htm

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Name(s):

Period:

Date:

Determining Bonding Types

HASPI Medical Chemistry Lab 3a

Background/Introduction
Electrolytes
How do you feel? No, really, how is it that when you touch
something your brain immediately knows something about
it? It knows the texture, the temperature, even the size,
without looking at it.
This is due to electrical impulses that pass through your
body, known as an action potential. This works because
your neurons are full of electrolytes. Electrolytes are any ion
that dissociates in water, allowing the solution to conduct
electricity. Sodium, chloride, potassium and calcium ions
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/theneuron.html
are all essential parts of this process. All along the neuron,
specific electrolytes are pumped on to either side of the cell membrane, and to send a
signal, electrolytes rush across the membrane, allowing the signal to move. The ion
pumps then re-set these ions so that the next signal can be sent.

http://www.bem.fi/book/03/03.htm

When you are low in electrolytes your body cant communicate with
your brain as well and your muscles may cramp. You may feel more
fatigue when you are low on electrolytes. You might even crave salty
foods, because table salt contains sodium ions, which are a key
component needed for nerve signals. Your sweat is full of electrolytes,
which is why you need to drink fluids rich in potassium, calcium and
sodium when you work out. Sports drinks also contain large amounts of
sugar to help give you extra energy when you drink

them.
When a patient has diarrhea, one of the key things they lose is
electrolytes. For this reason, it is important to drink more than plain water
when you have diarrhea, because you need to replace your electrolytes
to keep you strong. You also need to have electrolytes to help you absorb
water because your body absorbs water through osmosis, which means
that water follows the electrolytes. Pediatricians recommend that kids
drink Pedialyte when they are sick so that they get the right mix of
http://canigivemybaby.com/pedialyte/
electrolytes in their liquids, but this works for any age. If you dont have
Pedialyte then you can use Gatorade or another sports drink, however the large amount
of sugar is not always a good idea
when youre sick, so drink sports
drinks in moderation or pick up some
Pedialyte liquid or freezer pops!

The Chemistry
HASPI Medical Chemistry Unit 3: Intramolecular & Intermolecular Forces
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_21c/natural_environment/hydrosphererev2.shtml

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Ionic, Covalent & Metallic compounds each have physical properties that relate to their
structures, so there are some tests we can do to help identify the type of bonding in a
substance.

Melting Points
An ionic bond is made when ions of opposite charges come together to create a crystal
lattice structure. In order to melt an ionic compound the temperature has to rise until the
ions move with enough force to break away from the oppositely
charged ions around them. For table salt, this means you would need
a temperature of 801C to hit the melting point (thats over
1,000F!).
Covalent compounds dont break apart when they melt, so they only have to reach a
temperature strong enough to pull them away from the other molecules to melt them.
This is why most small covalent molecules are liquid or gas at room temperature
because they have such low melting points.
Solubility & Conductivity
Ionic compounds dissolve
very easily in water to
create an aqueous solution.
http://www.utdallas.edu/~brikowi/Teaching/Field_Methods/Lab_3_Background.html
Since water is a polar
molecule (meaning it has partial charges) it attracts the ions and
surrounds each one as the compound dissociates in the water.
Once water is full of charged particles it can conduct electricity
very easily. Tap water conducts electricity because the chemicals
used to treat the water are ions, so it makes the water into a
conductor.
Non-polar covalent compounds do not
dissolve well in water. They have no
charges on their outsides, so they are
not attracted to the polar water. Some
polar-covalent compounds do dissolve
well in water, however they do not
conduct electricity in the water because
they do not have charges.

https://chemistry11mrstandring.wikispaces.com/The+Conductivity+of+Aqueous+solutions

By testing a substances melting point, solubility and conductivity, you will be able to
predict what type of bond it has.

Pre-Lab
Define the following terms on a separate sheet of paper
electrolyte
melting point
conductivity
covalent
solubility
ionic
action potential neuron

polar
physical
property

chemical
dissociate
Dissolve
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property
1. List some examples of electrolytes.

2. What are two causes of low electrolytes?

3. List the expected physical qualities of an 4. List the expected physical qualities of a
ionic substance.
covalent substance.

Research these chemicals and fill out the data table

Ionic, Polar Covalent Chemical
Molar Mass
or Non-Polar
Formula
Covalent
Paraffin Wax

Medical Use

Fructose

Sodium
Bicarbonate

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Determining Bonding Types

Name(s):

Period:

Date:

HASPI Medical Chemistry Lab 3a

Scenario
Today you will test substance A, B and C to determine which are paraffin, fructose and
sodium bicarbonate based on some of their physical properties. In the pre-lab, you
researched these chemicals so you know which one is ionic, which one is covalent, and
which one is polar covalent.
As you complete each part of the lab, record your findings. At the end of the lab you will
be asked to look at your compiled data and determine the identity of each substance.

Safety
Wear your lab goggles and closed toed shoes at all times in the lab.

Part 1: Modeling
Its important to understand what is happening at the atomic level when you are doing a
lab. Think about what you already know about each type of compound and draw what
you think is happening. Use a pencil so you can revise your drawing.
Once you have drawn your models, discuss them with a partner. Look back over the prelab pictures and see if you can gather more information from those pictures. Look in your
notes or textbook to see if you can refine your drawing to be more accurate.
Draw an example of what you
think an ionic compound looks
like at an atomic level

Draw an example of what you

think a covalent molecule looks
like at an atomic level

Draw an example of what you

think a polar covalent molecule
looks like at an atomic level

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Final Drawings:
Draw an example of what you
think an ionic compound looks
like at an atomic level when
added to water

Draw an example of what you

think a covalent molecule looks
like at an atomic level when
added to water

Draw an example of what you

think a polar covalent molecule
looks like at an atomic level when
added to water

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Part 2: Melting Point

Look back to your pre-lab and think about which type of substance has a low melting
point, which has a very high melting point, then answer these questions to help you
better understand what is about to happen.
What kind of substance do you expect to melt first?
What kind of substance has a very high melting point?

Materials
Aluminum Foil
Tongs

Hot Plate

Substance A, B and C

Small scoopula or tsp

Ste
p
1.

Procedure

2.

Add tsp or small scoop of each substance to

Note any differences in the
different sections of your foil boat. Carefully wipe three compounds
the spoon out after each use to be sure no
contamination occurs but do not use any water.
Turn the hot plate to medium. Wait for your substances to melt. It they are not
melting you can turn the hot plate up.
When the first substance melts, record a 1 below. Observations:
When the second substance melts, TURN OFF
Observations:
THE HOT PLATE and remove your foil boat using
tongs. Record a 2 for the melting order
For the third substance you merely have to
record that it would melt 3rd. Do not attempt to
melt it as the melting point would be very high!

3.
4.
5.
6.

Observations, Changes or
Comments

Create a foil boat with 3 sections

Data Table Part 2: Melting Points

Observations about the
Melting
Ionic, Covalent
solid substance
Order
or
Polar
Covalent?

Reasoning

Substanc
eA
Substanc
eB
Substanc
eC

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Part 3: Solubility in water

In the pre-lab you read that an ionic compound is very easily dissolved in water because
the ions are attracted to the polar water molecules and the compound will dissociate, or
break apart, as it dissolves. Polar covalent molecules are also fairly soluble because they
are attracted to the water, although polar covalent substances do not break apart as
they dissolve. Non-polar covalent molecules are not soluble in water because they are
not attracted to the polarity of water, and they will either sink or float depending on their
density.

Materials
Beaker A: Substance A in water
Substance C in water
Ste
p
1.
2.
3.

Beaker B: Substance B in water

Procedure

Beaker C:

Changes or
Comments

Pick up the first beaker labeled substance A in water.

Write down your observations. Do you see any solid
remaining? Do you see any liquid layers?
If the substance is fully dissolved, write SOLUBLE
If the substance is not dissolved, write INSOLUBLE
Repeat for remaining substances

Data Table Part 3: Solubility in water

Observations

Solubility

Ionic, Covalent or Polar

Covalent?

Reasoning for identification

Substanc
eA
Substanc
eB
Substanc
eC

Part 4: Conductivity
Look back at your pre-lab and think about which type of substance will conduct
electricity.
Do you expect different results for each of the three substances? Which types of
substances may have the same results?

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Materials
Conductivity meter, pre-filled and labeled beakers with water, electrolyte solution, and
aqueous solutions of Substance A, B and C.
Ste
p
1.
2.

Procedure

Observations, Changes or
Comments
Find your conductivity meter and turn it on. Find the instructions for how to read
the conductivity meter. Usually a bright light is highly conductive, a weak light has
a small amount of conductivity and no light has no conductivity.
You will now use the conductivity meter to
What kind of bond does water
test each substance in an aqueous solution.
have?
Start by testing the conductivity of pure DI
water and the electrolyte solution. Do not
use the same conductivity meter for each
What kind of bond do the atoms in
solution as you may contaminate them.
the electrolyte solution have?

Conductivity
in water

Data Table Part 4: Conductivity

Ionic or
Reasoning
covalent

DI Water
Electrolyt
e
solution
Substanc
eA
Substanc
eB
Substanc
eC

Analysis & Interpretation

Compile your data from above to figure out which substance is which.
Analysis Data Table Compiling & Interpreting Results
Melting
Solubility
Conducts as
Conducts
Ionic, Covalent or
Point Order
a pure
when
Polar Covalent?
substance?
dissolved in
water?
Substanc
eA
Substanc
eB
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Substanc
eC
1. What is the identity of substance A? What is your evidence and reasoning for this
identification?

2. What is the identity of substance B? What is your evidence and reasoning for this
identification?

3. What is the identity of substance C? What is your evidence and reasoning for this
identification?

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More information:
http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/156/Phlebotomist
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/phlebotomists.htm

Resources & References

References:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/information/question565.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/268996-symptoms-of-low-potassium-of-electrolytes/

HASPI Medical Chemistry Unit 3: Intramolecular & Intermolecular Forces

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Images:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_21c/natural_environment/hyd
rosphererev2.shtml
http://www.utdallas.edu/~brikowi/Teaching/Field_Methods/Lab_3_Background.html
http://zube.brinkster.net/SCH3U21/Reactions/Reading/stateparticles.jpg
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/theneuron.html
http://www.bem.fi/book/03/03.htm
http://clevelandcliniclabs.com/assets/pdfs/brochures/career-spotlight-phlebotomist.pdf

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