December 10th, 2009

A Period
Chemical Reactions Lab
Purpose:
The purpose of this laboratory experiment is to start to become familiar with precipitate reactions and
practice following oral instructions, taking notes, and making and recording quality observations.

Materials:
- Goggles
- Apron
- Six small test tubes
- A test tube holder
- Beakers
- Disposable pipettes for each solution
- Amber dropper bottles
- Instruction sheets
- Data table
- 3M HCl (hydrochloric acid)
- .1M KI (potassium iodide)
- .1M Fe(NO3)2 (iron nitrate)
- .1M AgNO3 (silver nitrate)
- 3M NaOH (sodium hydroxide)
- .1M CoCl2 (cobalt chloride)
- .1M Pb(NO3)2 (lead nitrate)
- Test tube brush
- Water

Safety:
For the safety of this laboratory experiment, you must be aware of the following:
- be extremely careful with handling all of the solutions, as they are all toxic and/or
irritating.
- do not take off your goggles and apron throughout the entire experiment.
- dispose of the solutions properly.
- roll up long sleeves and take off jackets/sweaters.
- tie back long hair.
- wash skin immediately if contact is made with any of the solutions.
Procedure:

1) Gather all materials.

2) Clean the six small test tubes with the test tube brush and water.
3) Place the six cleaned test tubes in the test tube holder.
4) Observe the Pb(NO3)3 (lead nitrate) and record your observations in your data table.
5) There should be a disposable pipette in each of the solutions. Squeeze the pipette in the Pb(NO3)3
(lead nitrate) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them in one of the small test tubes.
6) Observe the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) and record your observations in your data table.
7) Squeeze the pipette in the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) to get 1 drop of the solution and add it into
the first test tube.
8) Observe and write in your initial observation in your data chart.
9) After 10 minutes, observe the test tube again and write in your later observation (You can go on to
the next reaction while you are waiting).
10) Observe the AgNo3 (silver nitrate) and record you observations in your data table.
11) Squeeze the pipette in the AgNo3 (silver nitrate) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them in a
second test tube.
12) Observe the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) and record your observations in your data table.
13) Squeeze the pipette in the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) to get 1 drop of the solution and add it into
the second test tube.
14) Observe and write in your initial observation in your data chart.
15) After 10 minutes, observe the test tube again and write in your later observation (You can go on to
the next reaction while you are waiting).
16) Observe the AgNo3 (silver nitrate) and record you observations in your data table.
17) Squeeze the pipette in the AgNo3 (silver nitrate) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them in a
third test tube.
18) Observe the HCl (hydrochloric acid) and record you observations in your data table.
19) Open the bottle of HCl and squeeze the pipette to get 1 drop of solution and add it to the third test
tube. Be sure to close the bottle of HCl.
20) Observe and write in your initial observation in your data chart.
21) After 10 minutes, observe the test tube again and write in your later observation (You can go on to
the next reaction while you are waiting).
22) Observe the AgNo3 (silver nitrate) and record your observations in your data table.
23) Squeeze the pipette in the AgNo3 (silver nitrate) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them in a
fourth test tube.
24) Observe the KI (potassium iodide) and record your observations in your data table.
25) Squeeze the pipette in the KI (potassium iodide) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them into
the fourth test tube.
26) Observe and write in your initial observation in your data chart.
27) After 10 minutes, check back on the first three reactions and observe.
28) Write in your later observations for the first three reactions in your data chart.
29) Clean out the first three test tubes. Properly dispose of the solutions and thoroughly clean the test
tube with lots of water and the test tube brush. Be careful not to empty the fourth test tube, as it
still needs time for the reaction to take place.
30) Place the three clean test tubes back into the test tube holder.
31) Observe the Fe(NO3)2 (iron nitrate) and record your observations in your data table.
32) Squeeze the pipette in the Fe(NO3)2 (iron nitrate) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them in a
fifth test tube.
33) Observe the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) and record your observations in your data table.
34) Squeeze the pipette in the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) to get 2 drops of the solution and add them
into the fifth test tube.
35) Observe and write in your initial observation in your data chart.
36) After 10 minutes, observe the test tube again and write in your later observation (You can go on to
the next reaction while you are waiting).
37) Observe the CoCl2 (cobalt chloride) and record your observations in your data table.
38) Squeeze the pipette in the CoCl2 (cobalt chloride) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them into
a sixth tube.
39) Observe the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) and record your observations in your data table.
40) Squeeze the pipette in the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) to get 2 drops of the solution and add it into
the sixth test tube.
41) Observe and write in your initial observation in your data chart.
42) After 10 minutes, observe the test tube again and write in your later observation (You can go on to
the next reaction while you are waiting).
43) Observe the Pb(NO3)3 (lead nitrate) and record your observations in your data table.
44) Squeeze the pipette in the Pb(NO3)3 (lead nitrate) to get 10 drops of the solution and add them into
a seventh small test tube.
45) Observe the KI (potassium iodide) and record your observations in your data table.
46) Squeeze the pipette in the KI (potassium iodide) to get 10 drops of the solution and add it into the
seventh test tube.
47) After 10 minutes, observe the test tube again and write in your later observation.
48) Clean all six small test tubes. Be sure to properly dispose of the chemicals. Clean out the test tubes
thoroughly with the test tube brush and lots of water.
49) Dry the test tubes and set them back into the test tube holder.
50) Wipe away any spilled liquids because they may be harmful and clean the rest of your work area.

Observations:
Reaction Observations Observations of Initial Later Initial Later
of Reactant A Reactant B Observations of Observations of Observations Observations
Product A Product A of Product B of Product B

1.) Pb(NO3)3 Lead nitrate Sodium Lead White powder Dissolved White-ish
+ NaOH -> hydroxide hydroxide on bottom w/ salt with no liquid,
Pb(OH)3 + clear, liquid on top color slightly
NaNO3 transparent, transparent, cloudy white cloudy
like water like water

2.) AgNO3 + Silver nitrate Sodium Silver Looks like dirt Dissolved Still a brown
NaOH -> hydroxide hydroxide on bottom salt with no liquid. Less
AgOH + transparent, with mud color muddy, more
NaNO3 like water transparent, cloudy brown water on top clear.
like water

3.) AgNO3 + Silver nitrate Hydrochloric Silver chloride White powder Dissolved White
HCl -> AgCl acid with liquid on salt with no cloudy
+ HNO3 transparent, white top color liquid. Still a
like water transparent, bit murky
like water

4.) AgNO3 + Silver nitrate Potassium Silver iodide Powder sank Dissolved Pale green
KI -> Agl + iodide to bottom. salt with no white-ish
KNO3 transparent, light greenish Liquid is color liquid.
like water transparent, yellow green/yellow
slight tint of
yellow

5.)Fe(NO3)2 Iron nitrate Sodium Iron hydroxide Reddish brown Dissolved Brownish
+ NaOH -> hydroxide things floating salt with no liquid with a
Fe(OH)2 + transparent, slow lines in rusty brown color little
NaNO3 yellow transparent, forming of water grayish-
like water reddish brown green color.

6.) CoCl2 + Cobalt -transparent, Cobalt Blue jelly Dissolved Turquoise

NaOH -> Co chloride like water hydroxide substance at salt with no blue liquid.
(OH)2 + bottom w/ blue color
NaCl transparent, blue liquid on top
bright pink

7.) Pb(NO3)2 Lead nitrate Potassium Lead iodide Yellowish Dissolved Bright
+ KI -> PBl2 iodide powder on salt with no yellow liquid
+ KNO3 clear, super bright bottom with color that looks
transparent, transparent, yellow, like yellow liquid like paint
like water slight tint of paint on top
yellow

Graphs:
5

4
K I, 2 0
Discussion Questions:

1. For each reaction:

a. Write the balanced chemical equation
b. Include in the balanced chemical equation, the proper STATE indication, i.e. (s), (l), (aq), (g), for
each compound.
c. Write equation as a word equation.

2. How could you determining, just from looking at a chemical equation, if a precipitate will be
formed?

3. Almost all reactions are either endothermic or exothermic. For each of the chemical reactions that
you observed, indicate whether you think it was endothermic or exothermic and state WHY you think
so. Hint: Think back to when we dissolved salt in water during our class. Was dissolving salt an
exothermic or endothermic process? How does it relate to what we’ve seen during this lab?

4. Chemical reactions can be categorized into a couple of different groups. Each of the reactions
observed during this laboratory are of the same type. Read the article found on EdLine called “Types
of Chemical Reactions”. Then identify what type of reaction those performed in this activity were.
Then explain.

5. Research each of the precipitates created during this laboratory and then identify which one was
once used in paint, but is no longer used for this purpose. Then explain why it is no longer used.

6. Use this laboratory activity as an example to explain why it is important not to assume anything is
‘just’ water when you are in a laboratory setting.

MA:

1a.

1.) Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) -> Pb(OH)2 (s)+ 2NaNO3 (aq)

2.) AgNO3 (aq) + NaOH (aq) -> AgOH (s) + NaNO3 (aq)

3.) AgNO3 (aq) + HCl (aq) -> AgCl (s) + HNO3 (aq)

4.) AgNO3 (aq) + KI (aq) -> AgI (s) + KNO3 (aq)

5.) Fe(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) -> Fe(OH)2 (s) + 2NaNO3 (aq)

6.) CoCl2 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) -> Co(OH)2 (s) + 2NaCl (aq)

7.) Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + 2KI (aq) -> PbI2 (s) + 2KNO3 (aq)

1c.

1.) One molecule of lead nitrate plus two molecules of sodium hydroxide reacts to produce one
molecule of lead hydroxide plus two molecules of sodium nitrate.
 2.) One molecule of silver nitrate plus one molecule of sodium hydroxide reacts to produce one
molecule of silver hydroxide plus one molecule of sodium nitrate.

3.) One molecule of silver nitrate plus one molecule of hydrogen chloride reacts to produce one
molecule of silver chloride plus one molecule of hydrogen nitrate.

4.) One molecule of silver nitrate plus one molecule of potassium iodide reacts to produce one
molecule of silver iodide plus one molecule of potassium nitrate

5.) One molecule of iron nitrate plus two molecules of sodium hydroxide reacts to produce one
molecule of iron hydroxide plus two molecules of sodium nitrate.

6.) One molecule of cobalt chloride plus two molecules of sodium hydroxide reacts to produce one
molecule of cobalt hydroxide plus two molecules of sodium chloride.

7.) One molecule of lead nitrate plus two molecules of potassium iodide reacts to produce one
molecule of lead iodide plus two molecules of potassium nitrate.

2.) You can determine if a precipitate will be formed by only looking at the chemical equation by
looking at the states of matter at the end of each compound. If there is one solid and the rest are
aqueous, the solid is the precipitate. Another way is looking to see which compounds are soluble and
insoluble. If there are any insoluble compounds, then a precipitate will be formed.

3.) All of the reactions are exothermic reactions because they release energy since the solutions
dissolve and form precipitates. Furthermore, when we dissolved salt in class it was an endothermic
reaction because the salt was dissolved. In this experiment we did the opposite, since we created a
precipitate. Therefore, since this experiment is the opposite of dissolving salt, the reactions would be
exothermic.

4.) The type of reaction preformed in this activity was double-replacement reactions, or metathesis
reactions. More specifically, the reaction was a precipitate reaction, which is one type of a double-
replacement reaction. The equation used in each reaction was AB+ CD -> AD + CB, which is a
characteristic of a double-replacement reaction. There are precipitates involved and there is an
exchange of positive ions between two compounds. Double-replacement reactions also generally occur
between two ionic compounds in an aqueous solution, which corresponds with the reactions in this
laboratory.

5.) Co(OH)2 was once used in paint, but it is no longer used because it is toxic and there are other
substances that are less dangerous to substitute it for.

6.) It is important not to assume anything is “just” water in a laboratory setting because there are many
harmful liquids that have similar physical properties of water. For example, sodium hydroxide and
hydrochloric acid are colorless, odorless, and transparent, just like water. However, they are both
corrosive and can burn away your skin.

Conclusion:

The purpose of this laboratory was to start becoming familiar with precipitate reactions,
practice following oral directions, taking notes, and making and recording quality observations. I
enjoyed doing this laboratory experiment. The precipitate reactions seemed like magic, and it was
something I have never quite seen before. The complete changes in color were very interesting and
when the solids were formed, it seemed unreal. I learned a few different things from this laboratory. I
learned how to better understand precipitate reactions and how a solid forms from them. Additionally,
I learned that you must be careful with all the materials in a laboratory setting, especially liquids that
look like water. Some parts of this experiment are applicable to real life. Hydrochloric acid can be
used to clean metals, bricks, and tiles. It is also used to create glue and sugar. It is also found in small
amounts in the stomach, where it aids digestion.