Ionic vs Covalent Substance

Lab
November 18, 2014

Scenario:
You are going to get 4 different substances and you need to be
able to uncover which ones contain covalent bonds and which
ones contain ionic bonds.
Problem Question:
Which of the substances contains covalent bonds and which
ones contain ionic bonds.
Hypothesis:
Write a PREDICTION that explains what substance will show
which bond type each contains. You will need to have a
separate hypothesis for each substance.

Substance 1 Vegetable Oil

Substance 2 Salt
Substance 3 Sugar
Substance 4 Baking Soda

Materials
Substance 1 Vegetable Oil
Substance 2 Salt
Substance 3 Sugar
Substance 4 Baking Soda
400 mL beaker
4 test tubes
Hot plate
Spoon
Stop Watch
100 mL graduated cylinder
Room Temperature tap water
Goggles

Procedure
Melting Point
1. Begin by gathering 4 test tubes, a 400 mL
beaker and a hot plate.
2. Place the substances in each of the
designated test tubes. (ex. Substance 1 in
test tube #1)
3. Turn the Hot Plate on to high.
4. Place all 4 test tubes into the beaker and
place the beaker on the hot plate.
5. Watch and record when each of the
substances melts.

Procedure
Dissolving in Water
1. Begin by gathering a spoon, a 100 mL graduated
cylinder and a 400 mL beaker.
2. In the beaker, have the teacher pour in
substance #1.
3. Fill the graduated cylinder up to 100 mL with tap
water and then pour it into the beaker.
4. Begin stirring the solution in the beaker for 30
seconds and then let it sit for 30 seconds.
Record if it dissolves or not.
5. Repeat steps 1 4 with the remaining
substances.

Ionic and Covalent Properties

Table
Ionic Compounds

Covalent Compounds

Property: Melting point

High Melting Point

Low Melting Point

Test: Apply heat

Result: Wont melt at low

heat

Result: Will melt at low heat

Property: Dissolve in water

Will dissolve in water

Will not dissolve in water

Test: Put in water

Result: Will disappear in

water

Result: will NOT

disappear in water

Property: Crystal formation

Test: ??

Will form crystals

Usually do not form crystals.

Property: Conduct electricity

Test: ??

Will conduct electricity IF melted or Will never conduct electricity

dissolved in water

Data Table
Substance

Substance #1
Vegetable Oil
Substance #2
Salt
Substance #3
Sugar
Substance #4
Baking Soda

Melting Point
(High or Low)

Dissolves in Water
(Yes or No)

Get Materials
and Begin
Working

Answers
Substance

Substance #1
Vegetable oil
Substance #2
Salt
Substance #3
Sugar
Substance #4
Baking Soda

Melting Point
(High or Low)

Dissolves in Water
(Yes or No)

Low

No

High

Yes

Low

No

High

Yes

Claims Evidence and

Reasoning
Write a paragraph explaining your results.

Be sure to include the following in your

paragraph:
1. What your claim was for each substance.
1. Which type of bond held the atoms of each
substance together.
2. Evidence to support or refute your claim.
1. Use your observations. (Both numbers and senses)
3. Reasoning
1. Explanation of what you saw happen. (Explain
data and use science to explain what you know
about compounds, elements, and bonding)

Answers
Covalent
Vegetable Oil
Sugar
Ionic
Salt
Baking Soda