Name: _________________________________ EPS/Biology Integrated

Lab Report Due Date: ___________________ Mrs. Dion and Mr. Hartshorn
Electrolysis of Water: Semester 1 Prelab (Day 1)
Background:
The decomposition of a compound into simpler substances by means of an electric current is called
electrolysis. During the electrolysis of water, electricity is passed through water, which then separated
into its elemental components of oxygen (O2 gas) and hydrogen (H2 gas).
ince pure water does not conduct electricity well enough to allow electrolysis to occur at a reasonable
rate, a catalyst is needed to speed up the reaction. !n this experiment, sodium carbonate ("a2#O$) in
solution will be used to increase the rate of the reaction. The sodium carbonate ioni%es in water, much
li&e "a#l, ma&ing the solution an electrolyte. The decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen gas
demonstrates the conservation of mass.
Please take a minute to define the words in bold in the paragraph above so that you have a better understanding of this lab.
Decomposition'
(lectrolysis'
#onduct'
#atalysis'
#onser)ation of *ass'
Problem:
How much of each gas, Hydrogen and Oxygen, will be collected when water is bro&en down by
electrolysis+
ypot!esis:
,ased on the chemical formula of water, ------------- parts of Hydrogen gas will be collected for
e)ery -------------------- parts of Oxygen gas that will be collected. This will be the case because
of the law of conser)ation of mass which states.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The gases will be detected because Hydrogen gas has the chemical property of (page /01)
-------------------------------- and Oxygen has the chemical property of (page 0/1)
-----------------------. Therefore, when flame is applied to Hydrogen it
will------------------- and when glowing embers applied to Oxygen, it will
-----------------------------------.
Name: _________________________________ EPS/Biology Integrated
Lab Report Due Date: ___________________ Mrs. Dion and Mr. Hartshorn
Electrolysis of Water: Semester 1 #aboratory (Day $)
%aterials:
2 small test tubes 1 022'm3 bea&er 4 full with water
2 small cor&s 5 m3 odium #arbonate
2 small clamps 2 12')olt batteries
2 rubber bands $ wires with alligator clips
2 6'hoo& electrodes 2 splints
1 pegboard 1 graduated cylinder
1 harpie mar&er
Procedure: #ook at page &'$( figure 11 as a reference) Please c!eck off eac! step as you *ork)
1) 7 afety. 8ut on goggles.
2) 7 9ttach the two small clamps onto the pegboard. 8osition them o)er the 022m3 bea&er of
water le)el with the rim of the bea&er.
$) 7 :ill the two small test tubes with some of the water. ;sing your thumb or the cor&s to seal the
tip of the test tube, in)ert it under the water. Do not lea)e any air bubbles.
/) 7 !nsert the <6= part of the 6'hoo&s under each test tube beneath the water. ecure them at the
top with rubber bands. #lamp the test tubes in place.
5) 7 3ower the 6'hoo&s so that electricity can be conducted through the water and not be impaired
by the glass of the test tubes. ,e sure the electrodes are positioned so that the bubbles will float
up and into the tubes.
0) 7 #onnect your batteries into a series circuit. There should be a complete <circle= of electricity
with the water ma&ing the connection in the last bit of the circle. >emember that positi)e poles
always connect to negati)e poles and )ice )ersa.
?) 7 *a&e obser)ations of any bubble formation at each electrode.
@) 7 9dd 5m3 of odium #arbonate to the water.
A) 7 *a&e obser)ations of any difference in the rate of bubble formation.
12)7 9fter 22 minutes, record the le)el of gas in each test tube in data table. One member of the
group put on latex glo)es and disconnect the battery and test the gases for flammability.
OxygenBright side up, glowing splintC HydrogenBupside down, flaming splint.
11)7 #lean up apparatus.
+During t!e lab( you need to make sure t!at you sketc! t!e design set,up and fully label it) -!is
is part of t!e final lab report) -!e ne.t page gives you a place to do t!is *ork and a place to
discuss t!e purpose of use for eac! piece of e/uipment)
Name: _________________________________ EPS/Biology Integrated
Lab Report Due Date: ___________________ Mrs. Dion and Mr. Hartshorn
Design Set,up:
8urpose for use.
Test tubes.
,ea&er.
6'electrode.
Dires with clamps.
,attery.
plints.
Eraduated cylinder.
odium #arbonate.
Name: _________________________________ EPS/Biology Integrated
Lab Report Due Date: ___________________ Mrs. Dion and Mr. Hartshorn
Electrolysis of Water: Semester 1 0ormal #ab 1eport (Day 2)
This is an outline of all of the sections for the lab. Each bullet represents something you need to include in your final lab
report for each section listed below.
Before you start -yping:
DO "OT ;( 8(>O"93 8>O"O;" (!, D(, *F, FO;, FO;).
;( 8(33 #H(#G 9"D E>9**9> #H(#G
TF8( ("T!>( 39, >(8O>T ((H#(8T D(!E" (T';8)
;( #!("T!:!# IO#9,;39>F
-3S 3S 041 5461 718D68-349 P41-04#34 S4 546 9EED 89 :;) D4 5461 BES- W41<)
3ntroduction:
Discuss the law of =onservation of %ass and how it is applied to balancing chemical eJuations.
Define it using a Juote from your boo&.
Ei)e an example of a balanced eJuation.
Discuss the four main types of chemical reactions.
#ite a source of information (it can be your text boo&. %c#aug!lin( =)W)( -!ompson( %)( and >ike(
D)( $;;?( Physical Science, %c7ra*,ill =ompanies( 3nc)( =olumbus( :@'p) )
Problem Statement:
<The purpose of this lab is to determine how the amount of Hydrogen gas compares to the
amount of Oxygen gas produced in the electrolysis of water and to determine what type of
chemical reaction will ta&e place.=
Discuss a few materials to be used in the lab and the methods used ((lectrolysis of water).
ypot!esis:
Copy this information from your pre-lab (Day !
Design Set,up:
"dd this from the lab day#s work (Day $!
%aterials and Procedure:
%ee lab day (Day $!-add &refer to design set-up' as it applies to your procedure. This could
increase your lab performance in this area to a (.
Data:
#reate the following data table.
7as =ollection and 1eactions
Electrode Aolume of 7as (m#) 1eaction *it! Splint
8ositi)e
"egati)e
Ei)e a reason why this data is needed to sol)e the problem statement.
Describe the other )isible information obser)ed during the electrolysis.
Name: _________________________________ EPS/Biology Integrated
Lab Report Due Date: ___________________ Mrs. Dion and Mr. Hartshorn
1esults:
#ompare your results to those of the rest of the class.
Eraph the class data in a bar graph (Electrode on t!e .,a.is, Aolume of gas (m#) on y,a.is) K
-itle t!e grap!
Discuss the trend in the )olumes of the two gases below your graph.
=onclusionB=riti/ue of ypot!esis:
>estate your hypothesis.
tate if it was accepted (correct) or reLected (wrong).
;se facts (actual numbers) from the data to support your claim (hypothesis).
(xample. <The hypothesis was reLected because for e)ery 1 part hydrogen that was collected,
/ parts of oxygen were collected.=

=onclusion,=ritical =onnection:
!dentify possible sources of error (human and eJuipment).
Discuss other problems that might be in)estigated using this experiment (e.g. Dould other ionic
compounds wor& as a catalyst+)
How does this lab relate to real life+ Ei)e some examples.
Works =ited:
8ro)ide at least one source of information (you may use your textboo& or any other boo& or
website)
%c#aug!lin( =)W)( -!ompson( %)( and >ike( D)( $;;?( Physical Science, %c7ra*,ill
=ompanies( 3nc)( =olumbus( :@'p)
Title <Dor&s #ited= page
>(*!"D(>.
DO "OT ;( 8(>O"93 8>O"O;" (!, D(, *F, FO;, FO;).
;( 8(33 #H(#G 9"D E>9**9> #H(#G
TF8( ("T!>( 39, >(8O>T ((H#(8T D(!E" (T';8)
;( #!("T!:!# IO#9,;39>F
-3S 3S 041 5461 718D68-349 P41-04#34 S4 546 9EED 89 :;) D4 5461 BES- W41<)