Our Objective

To carry out the following reactions and classify them as Physical or Chemical changes.

 Burning of magnesium in air

 Sodium sulphate with barium chloride in the form of their solutions in water
 Iron nail with copper sulphate solution in water
 Zinc with dilute sulphuric acid
 Heating of copper sulphate

The Theory

What is a chemical change?

In a chemical change, chemical reaction takes place and the substances undergo a change in their
state. During chemical reactions, one substance reacts with another to form a new substance. The
chemical composition of the new substance is different from that of the reacting species. Due to a
chemical change, the chemical properties of matter also change. That means the product is entirely
different from either of the reactants. Some chemical reactions may be either exothermic or
endothermic in nature.

What are exothermic and endothermic reactions?

In endothermic reactions, a substance absorbs energy in the form of heat and undergoes a chemical
reaction. An example is the heat energy absorbed during a chemical change involved in cooking, like
baking a cake.

In exothermic reactions, heat energy is released. Explosion of fireworks is an example of exothermic

chemical change. The explosion releases energy in the form of light.

Do you know what a photochemical reaction is?

Some chemical reactions do not take place in the dark, but take place only in the presence of
sunlight or other radiations. Such reactions are called photochemical reactions. The most commonly
known example is photosynthesis, in which plants convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars
using energy from sunlight and produce oxygen as a side product.
A chemical change changes the identity or property of a substance and may or may not be reversed.
Examples of Some Irreversible Chemical changes:

 Combustion (burning) of fuels:In combustion reaction, the fuel burns with an oxidizing agent
such as oxygen or fluorine to form new products.
 Neutralization reaction:Neutralization reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which an acid
and a base react to form salt and water. For example, sodium hydroxide reacts with
hydrochloric acid to form sodium chloride and water. This reaction is highly exothermic,
which means it releases heat in the form of energy.
 Rusting of iron:Rust is a chemical substance formed by the chemical action of moist air on
iron. It is basically an oxidation reaction. The formula of rust is Fe2O3.xH2O.
 Ripening of fruit and cooking of eggs are also chemical changes.

There are also some chemical changes which are reversible in nature.
Examples:

 The thermal decomposition of ammonium chloride is a reversible chemical change. On

heating above 340°C, it decomposes to form two gases such as ammonia and hydrogen
chloride. On cooling, the reaction is reversed and solid ammonium chloride is formed.

 The synthesis of ammonia from hydrogen and oxygen is a reversible reaction.

 The synthesis of hydrogen chloride from hydrogen and chlorine is also a reversible reaction.

Let us discuss about some simple chemical reactions.

Burning of Magnesium in Air

Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal with symbol Mg. It is a silvery white metal. Magnesium is a
highly inflammable metal and it is easy to ignite its powdered form or thin strips. Magnesium burns in
air by taking oxygen from air to form magnesium oxide and is basic in nature.
Reaction between Sodium Sulphate and Barium Chloride

When barium chloride combines with sodium sulphate in the form of their aqueous solutions, a white
precipitate of barium sulphate is formed which is insoluble in water. The reaction also creates
sodium chloride, which remains dissolved in water and so cannot be seen. The precipitate of barium
sulphate is insoluble in dil.HCl.

Here, the products formed are entirely different from the reactants in chemical composition and
chemical properties. So this reaction is a chemical change.

Reaction of Iron Nails with Copper Sulphate Solution in Water

When an iron nail is dipped in copper sulphate solution, a brown coating of copper is formed on the
surface of iron and the colour of copper sulphate solution changes from blue to light green. This
reaction shows that iron is more reactive than copper as it displaces copper from its solution and iron
passes into solution as Fe2+ ions and ferrous sulphate solution is formed.
This reaction is a single displacement reaction.

Reaction of Zinc with Dilute Sulphuric Acid

Zinc is more reactive than hydrogen and it displaces hydrogen from dilute acids. Zinc reacts with
dilute sulphuric acid to form zinc sulphate and hydrogen gas is evolved. This is a single
displacement reaction of a non-metal by a metal.

The products ZnSO4 and H2 (g) are entirely different in chemical composition and chemical
properties from the reactants Zn and H2SO4. So, this reaction is a chemical change.

Heating of Copper Sulphate

Copper sulphate pentahydrate contain 5 moles of water per one mole of copper (II) sulphate. Its
formula is written as CuSO4.5H2O. It can be converted into anhydrous copper sulphate when heated
strongly. The blue colour of copper sulphate is due to water of hydration. When heated, it loses two
water molecules at ~63°C followed by two more at ~109°C and the final water molecule at ~200°C
and turns to white coloured anhydrous copper sulphate.

The above process can be reversed. When water is added to white coloured anhydrous copper
sulphate, its colour changes to blue, indicating that the blue coloured copper sulphate pentahydrate
is regenerated. So, it is a reversible chemical change.
On further heating at ~650°C, the anhydrous copper sulphate decomposes to form copper oxide
(CuO) and sulphur trioxide (SO3) and the reaction become irreversible.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students understand the term “Chemical reaction”.

2. Students visualize the different chemical reactions and understand the differences between
physical changes and chemical changes.
3. Students perform different chemical reactions using the following:
 Magnesium ribbon
 Sodium sulphate and barium chloride
 Iron nail and aqueous solution of copper sulphate
 Zinc granules and dil. HCl
 Hydrated copper sulphate
4. Students identify the products formed in each reaction & conclude that they are chemically
different from that of reactants.
5. Based on the acquired skills, students should be able to perform a chemical reaction.

Burning of Magnesium in Air

Materials Required:

Lab Procedure:
 SI Experiment Observation Inference
No.
1 Take a piece of magnesium ribbon and rub it It looks silvery white. Colour of magnesium
with sand paper to remove dirt from its surface. metal is silvery white.
2 Hold the magnesium ribbon with the help of a It burns brilliantly Magnesium burns in air to
pair of tongs, light the magnesium and collect and a white ash is form Magnesium oxide
the ash of burnt ribbon in a china dish. left behind. (MgO).
3 Take a moist red litmus paper and bring it in Red litmus paper MgO is basic in nature.
contact with the white ash of MgO. turns blue.

Inferences:

 Magnesium is a silvery white metal that burns in air and utilizes atmospheric oxygen from air
to form magnesium oxide.

 Magnesium oxide changes the colour of red litmus paper to blue. This reaction shows that
magnesium oxide is basic in nature.
 The formation of magnesium oxide is a direct combination reaction of two elements:
magnesium and oxygen. Magnesium oxide is entirely different from the reactants
magnesium and oxygen. So, this reaction is a chemical change.

Precautions:

1. The surface of magnesium ribbon should be properly cleaned with sand paper.
2. The white ash of magnesium oxide should not be touched.
3. Magnesium ribbon should be held by a pair of tongs while burning it.
4. It is better to use sun glasses to protect eyes from dazzling light of burning magnesium
ribbon.

Reaction of Iron Nails with Copper Sulphate Solution in Water

Materials Required:
Lab Procedure:

 Clean two iron nails of sufficient size by rubbing with sand paper so that their colour appears
greyish.
 Take sufficient quantity of copper sulphate solution in two test tubes and fix one test tube in
each stand.
 Tie one iron nail with a thread and hang it in one test tube so that it is completely immersed
in copper sulphate solution. Tie the other end of the thread with the stand.
 Keep the other nail in a petri dish for comparison after the experiment.
 Keep the two test tubes undisturbed for about 15 min.
 After 15 min. remove the iron nail immersed in copper sulphate solution and put it in the petri
dish.

Observations:

 There is a brown coating on the iron nail which was dipped in the copper sulphate solution,
whereas the iron nail placed in petri dish shows greyish colour of iron.
 The colour of the copper sulphate solution in which the iron nail was dipped turns light
greenish, whereas the solution of copper sulphate in the other test tube does not change.

Inferences:

 The brown coating on the iron nail shows that copper is deposited on the iron nail by
displacing iron.
 The greenish colour of the solution in the test tube shows that Fe 2+ ions are present in the
solution.
 This shows that iron is more reactive than copper as Fe 2+ ions have displaced Cu2+ ions from
copper sulphate solution and form light greenish coloured ferrous sulphate solution.
  This is a single displacement reaction in which copper has been displaced by iron from
copper sulphate solution and a new compound, ferrous sulphate, is formed. So, this reaction
is a chemical change.

Precautions:

1. Clean the iron nails by rubbing them with sand paper to remove rust, dust or greasy surface.
2. Keep the control experiment to compare the colour of iron nails and copper sulphate
solution.
3. Avoid touching copper sulphate solution or a nail dipped in copper sulphate solution. As
copper sulphate is poisonous.

Heating of Copper Sulphate

Materials Required:

Lab Procedure:

 Take a small amount of copper sulphate crystals in a dry boiling tube.

 Hold the boiling tube with a test tube holder.
 Heat the boiling tube over the flame of a burner first gently and then strongly.
 Observe the colour of copper sulphate crystals after heating for some time.
 Note the water droplets along the sides of the boiling tube.
 Remove the boiling tube from the flame and cool.
 Add 2-3 drops of water on the sample of copper sulphate obtained after heating.

Observations:

 On heating, the colour of copper sulphate crystals changes from blue to white.
 There are water droplets on the walls of the boiling tube.
 On adding 2-3 drops of water white copper sulphate turns blue.

Inferences:
  Copper sulphate crystals contain water of crystallisation (CuSO 4.5H2O).
 On heating, hydrated copper sulphate loses its water molecule and forms white coloured
anhydrous copper sulphate.

 On adding water anhydrous copper sulphate changes to hydrated copper sulphate.

 It is a reversible chemical change.

Precautions:

1. Keep the mouth of the test tube away from your face and also from other classmates.
2. Always use test tube holder while heating the test tube.
3. Take a small quantity of copper sulphate crystals.

Reaction of Zinc with Dilute Sulphuric Acid

Materials Required:

Lab Procedure:

 Take a small quantity of dil. H2SO4 in a conical flask.

 Add a small quantity of zinc granules to it.
 Bring a wet blue and red litmus paper near the mouth of the conical flask one by one.
 Cork the flask with a one bored cork and insert a jet tube through the hole in the cork.
 Bring a burning candle near the mouth of the fine jet tube.
 Pour a small amount of the solution from the conical flask into a test tube.
  Add few drops of sodium hydroxide solution into it. A white gelatinous precipitate is formed.
 Add excess of NaOH into the gelatinous precipitate.
 The precipitate is soluble in excess of NaOH.
 Take a small amount of the solution in another test tube and pass H 2S gas through it using
Kipp's apparatus.
 A white precipitate is formed.

Observations:

 After adding zinc granules to dil. H2SO4 evolution of gas bubbles occurs.
 The gas coming out does not change the colour of blue and red litmus papers.
 On bringing the flame, the gas coming out of the jet tube burns instantaneously with a small
explosion and produce a pop sound and the flame dips out.
 On adding NaOH to the small amount of solution taken from the conical flask, white
gelatinous precipitate is formed which is soluble in excess of NaOH.
 On passing hydrogen sulphide gas through the solution taken in the test tube a white
precipitate is formed.

Inferences:

 Zinc reacts with dil.H2SO4 to form zinc sulphate and evolve hydrogen gas.

 The test with red and blue litmus papers shows that hydrogen gas is neither acidic nor basic
in nature.

 NaOH reacts with ZnSO4 to form a white gelatinous precipitate of zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH) 2)
which is soluble in excess of NaOH.

 ZnSO4 reacts with H2S to form a white precipitate of zinc sulphide (ZnS).

 Zinc metal is more reactive than hydrogen.

 This is a single displacement reaction of a non-metal by a metal.

  ZnSO4 is entirely different in chemical composition and chemical properties than Zn and
H2SO4. So it is a chemical change

Precautions:

1. Use the chemicals judiciously.

2. Do not inhale gases evolved directly.
3. Hydrogen gas instantaneously burns with mild explosion. Therefore, a fine jet tube should be
used to see the burning of hydrogen.
4. Handle acids and alkalies carefully.

Reaction between Sodium Sulphate and Barium Chloride

Materials Required:

Lab Procedure:

 Take a small amount of barium chloride solution in a test tube and pour it into a conical flask.
 Then take a small amount of sodium sulphate solution in another test tube and add it into
barium chloride solution taken in the conical flask.
 Stir the contents of the conical flask and keep it undisturbed for some time.
 After some time decant the upper solution from the conical flask and add a small amount of
dil. HCl to the precipitate in the conical flask.

Observation:
  On adding sodium sulphate to barium chloride a white precipitate is immediately formed
which is insoluble in dil.HCl.

Inferences:

 Sodium sulphate chemically reacts with barium chloride in the form of their aqueous solution
to form a white precipitate of barium sulphate.

 This reaction is a chemical change, as the products are entirely different from the reactants
in chemical composition and chemical properties.

Precautions:

1. Use the chemicals judiciously.

2. Keep the mouth of the test tube away from your face and also from other classmates.
3. Handle the acids and alkali carefully.

The flame test is used to visually determine the identity of an unknown metal or
metalloid ion based on the characteristic color the salt turns the flame of a
Bunsen burner. The heat of the flame excites the electrons of the metals ions,
causing them to emit visible light. Every element has a signature emission
spectrum that can be used to differentiate between one element and another.

How to Do the Flame Test

Classic Wire Loop Method

First, you need a clean wire loop.

Platinum or nickel-chromium loops are most common. They may be cleaned by

dipping in hydrochloric or nitric acid, followed by rinsing with distilled
or deionized water. Test the cleanliness of the loop by inserting it into a gas
flame. If a burst of color is produced, the loop is not sufficiently clean. The loop
must be cleaned between tests.

The clean loop is dipped in either a powder or solution of an ionic (metal) salt.
The loop with sample is placed in the clear or blue part of the flame and the
resulting color is observed.
Flame Test Colors
Symbol Element Color
As Arsenic Blue
B Boron Bright green
Ba Barium Pale/Yellowish Green
Ca Calcium Orange to red
Cs Cesium Blue
Cu(I Copper(I) Blue
Cu(II) Copper(II) non-halide Green
Cu(II) Copper(II) halide Blue-green
Fe Iron Gold
In Indium Blue
K Potassium Lilac to red
Li Lithium Magenta to carmine
Mg Magnesium Bright white
Mn(II) Manganese(II) Yellowish green
Mo Molybdenum Yellowish green
Na Sodium Intense yellow
P Phosphorus Pale bluish green
Pb Lead Blue
Rb Rubidium Red to purple-red
Sb Antimony Pale green
Se Selenium Azure blue
Sr Strontium Crimson red
Te Tellurium Pale green
Tl Thallium Pure green
Zn Zinc Bluish green to whitish green