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AllotropesofSulfur(20)
Prelabdiscussion: Allotropesaredifferentstructuralformsofthesameelement.Inthecase
ofsolids,differencesinthevisibleformareduetodifferencesinthecrystallinestructure.In
othercases,differencesinformmaybeduetodifferencesinthenumberofatomsina
moleculeofthesubstance,asinoxygengas(O2)andozonegas(O3).Inthisexperiment,you
willpreparetwoallotropicformsofsulfur,andobserveanotherthatwaspreparedforyou.
Thesedifferentformsarepreparedbychangingtheconditionsunderwhichthecrystalsgrow.
Sulfurhasthreeallotropes:Rhombic,Monoclinic(needlelike)andamorphous(noshape,
plastic)
Rhombic:
Monoclinic:
Problem: Whichallotropewasmadebasedonexaminationofthecrystalshape?
Hypothesis: Answerthequestionabove,basedonwhatyouthinkthecrystalwilllooklikefor
eachofthethreeallotropesoncemade.(3)
Procedure: PartsIandIIshouldbeperformedinafumehoodorawellventilatedroom.
PartI
1. Foldapieceoffilterpaperintoacone,placeitinafunnelandwetitslightlysoitwilllay
flat.Placethepaper/funnelintoanironringonaringstand.
2. Coverthetipofaspatulawithpowderedsulfurandplaceitintoapyrextesttube.Using
atesttubeholder,heatthesulfurgentlyandslowlywithaBunsenburnerflameuntilall
sulfurhasmeltedtoformaviscous,paleyellowliquid.
3. Extinguishtheburnerandpourthemoltensulfurintothefilterpaper.Immediatelytake
thepaperoutofthefunnel(careful!donottouchthehotsulfur)unfoldthepaperand
observetheformationofthecrystals.Examinethecrystalswithastereomicroscopeand
recordyourobservationsundertheresultssection.
PartII
1. Halffilla250mlbeakerwithtapwaterandsetittooneside.Usingthesametesttube
asinpartI,addaboutthesameamountofpowderedsulfurtothetesttubeaboutthe
tipofaspatula.
2. Usingthetesttubeholder,heatthesulfurgentlyuntilitisboilinganddarkredincolor.
3. Extinguishtheburner,andpourtheboilingsulfurintothebeakerofwater.Ifthesulfur
startstoburn,continuepouringuntilthetesttubeisempty,andextinguishany
remainingflameonthetesttubewithadamppapertowel.Donotplacethetesttube
underwateryouwillcracktheglass!
4. Examinethesolidformedinthewaterwithaglassstirringrodandastereomicroscope,
andrecordyourobservationsintheresultssection.
PartIII
1. Observethecrystalsmadepreviouslybymeonthefrontlabtable.Theseweremadeby
dissolvingsulfurintolueneandlettingthesolventevaporateoverseveralhours.
2. Recordyourobservationsintheresultssection.
Results:
1. Diagramtheshapeofthesulfurfrompartonebelow:(2)
2. Diagramtheshapeofthesulfurfromparttwobelow:(2)
3. Diagramtheshapeofthesulfurfrompartthreebelow:(2)
Conclusions:
1. Matchtheshapesofrhombic,monoclinicandamorphouscrystalswiththeproductsfrom
partsone,twoandthree.(3)
2. Whydoyouthinkweneededtomeltorboilthesulfurfirst?(2)
3. Differentiatebetweenthetermsallotropeandisotope.(4)
4. Basedonevidencefromthisexperiment,whatdoyouthinktherelationshipisbetween
rateofcoolingandcrystalsize?(2)
AllotropeLab TeacherSupplement
Conclusions:
1. PartIshouldmakemonocliniccrystals
PartII shouldmakeamorphouscrystals
PartIIIshouldmakerhombiccrystals
2. Thepowderedsulfurwillhaveacrystalshapetoiteventhoughishasbeenpowdered.
Melting(andboiling)changesthephaseandthecrystallineshapeislost.
3. allotropesarearrangementsofatomsthatdifferforthesameelement(different
structuralforms).Isotopesareatomsthathaveadifferentnucleus(atomicmass,
numberofneutrons)
4. Slowercoolingresultsinlargercrystals.
Rhombicsulfuristhestableallotropeatroomtemperature.Bycontrollingtheconditions,
otherallotropescanbegrown.
Rhombicsulfurismadebydissolvingatipofaspatulaofsulfurin5mloftoluene.Place
intoahoodandletthetolueneevaporate.Iwouldrecommendmaking4or5ofthesefor
studentobservationatleastonedayaheadofthelabperiod.
Safety:
Tolueneisanirritantandtoxic.Nooneshouldinhalethevapors
SulfurfumesandSO2areproduced,bothofwhicharerespiratoryirritantsifinhaled.
Directstudentstonothavetesttubeneartheirface,openthewindowsintheroom,
orbetteryetperformtheexperimentunderafumehood.
Thislabcanbedoneinentiretyasademonstration.
Testtubesshouldbediscardedattheendofclass.
Eachlabstationshouldhaveastereomicroscope,oratraditionalmicroscopeonlowpower.
Numbersinparenthesisarepointvaluesforgradingoflab.