Download Fun with Sulfur and Iron

Name:______________________Block:____________
FUN WITH SULFUR AND IRON!
Problem:
1. How does one observe and determine the difference between chemical and physical
changes?
2. What is the difference between a mixture, element and compound?
Hypothesis:
After observing and manipulating the sulfur and iron one will be able to draw a concept map using
the terms provided by the teacher.
Materials:
Paper
Stirrer
Sulfur
Hydrochloric acid
Water
Beaker
Filter paper
Other equipment available upon request*
Heat source (Bunsen burner)
Iron filings
Test tube
Test tube tongs
Magnet
Funnel
Styrofoam cup
*The teacher has the right to refuse request for equipment considered dangerous.
Procedure:
1.
GOGGLES MUST BE WORN DURING THIS ENTIRE ACTIVITY!
2.
Place a small amount (about 1 tsp.) of each substance on separate pieces of paper or
into a Styrofoam cup.
3.
Record observations below about each substance using your senses and available
equipment (never taste or inhale chemicals) and record. List what type of matter
you believe each substance to be in your data table at each step.
4.
Pour the two substances together into a Styrofoam cup and stir, recording all of your
observations below. You might want to use the magnet in this step!
5.
Pour into a test tube and while holding with test tube tongs heat gently and record
your observations.
6.
After heating it for at least a minute, put the test tube carefully into a beaker of water,
breaking off the bottom of the test tube!
7.
HAVE YOUR TEACHER place 5 to 10 drops of the strong acid on the contests of the
test tube and record your observations.
Add any other specific tests or procedures you perform here:
Observations – Record the appearance of each substance and what type of matter it is – element,
compound, or mixture:
Substance
Before
Combination
Combined Together
During Heating
After Heating
Adding HCl
Analysis/Data:
Iron (Fe)
Sulfur (S)
No calculations or graph are required for the activity because no quantitative data (numbers!) is
collected.
Conclusions:
1.
What form of matter were the sulfur and Iron at the beginning of the activity, before
they were mixed or heated?
2.
What form of matter were the sulfur and Iron when they were combined, but not
heated? Be specific in your description here!
3.
What evidence do you have that the combination in question #2 did not form a
compound? Offer an explanation here!
4.
What was required to cause the sulfur and iron to form a compound?
5.
What evidence do you have that the material in the test tube was a compound? What
test did we perform to confirm that we had a compound in the test tube?
6.
What signs did we witness that chemical changes took place? List at least 4 signs or
signals that a chemical change took place:
1.
2.
3.
4.
7.
What type of substance did we produce when we added the acid to the test tube
substance?
8.
Explain, in your own words, the definition of the following terms:
1. Element
2. Mixture
3. Compound
4. Physical Change
5. Chemical Change
9. Sometimes, it is very difficult to tell that you have seen a chemical change, and not just a
physical one. Making Kool-Aid is a great example. It looks like a chemical change, but is in fact a
physical one! List ONE great way that we can tell that we have witnessed a chemical change, and
not a physical change.