Sodium Chloride Lab Report
From the experiment, it was determined that Sodium chloride had a crystalline structure, even after being broken into smaller pieces with a hammer. Even though there was two different types of Sodium chloride, coarse and fine, they still had a symmetrical, three-dimensional shape. All ionic compounds have this structure. It was also found that Sodium chloride had a high melting point and sugar had a low melting point. This is because Sodium chloride is ionic and the bonds holding it together take much more energy to break. Sugar, on the other hand, is covalent so it took less energy because the bonds aren’t as strong. This was found through heating the two substances over a Bunsen burner. If it took less than two minutes to melt, then it had
a low melting point. If it took more than two minutes to melt, then it had a high melting point.
When the Sodium chloride was being tested with the conductivity indicator as a solid, it did not result in the conduction of electricity. This is because conduction requires room for the ions to carry the charges. However, when dissolved in distilled water, it was able to conduct electricity because the ions were no longer conformed from being in the solid state. Distilled water alone and sugar dissolved in distilled water conduct electricity even though it should not have. This is because the bealer was not cleaned out before use. Sugar is a covalent compound, it does not have ions or a charge to it. Solid FeCl3 did not conduct electricity, again, because the solid state allows no movement of the ions. Once it was heated and melted into a molten state, the conductivity indicator was positive.
The data collected from the lab can help provide more information on what ionic and covalent compounds can be used for in real life. Ionic compounds can be used as thermal insulators because they can absorb a lot of heat before their bonds break, but they cannot be used as cookware because they dissolve in water and shatter easily. It is important to understand the properties of both types of compounds, especially since we the human body is made up of them.
a low melting point. If it took more than two minutes to melt, then it had a high melting point.
When the Sodium chloride was being tested with the conductivity indicator as a solid, it did not result in the conduction of electricity. This is because conduction requires room for the ions to carry the charges. However, when dissolved in distilled water, it was able to conduct electricity because the ions were no longer conformed from being in the solid state. Distilled water alone and sugar dissolved in distilled water conduct electricity even though it should not have. This is because the bealer was not cleaned out before use. Sugar is a covalent compound, it does not have ions or a charge to it. Solid FeCl3 did not conduct electricity, again, because the solid state allows no movement of the ions. Once it was heated and melted into a molten state, the conductivity indicator was positive.
The data collected from the lab can help provide more information on what ionic and covalent compounds can be used for in real life. Ionic compounds can be used as thermal insulators because they can absorb a lot of heat before their bonds break, but they cannot be used as cookware because they dissolve in water and shatter easily. It is important to understand the properties of both types of compounds, especially since we the human body is made up of them.