Name_______________________________ Period ______ Date _________________________

Fab Lab Day – Bonding & Molecular Structure

C.3.5 Use laboratory observations and data to compare & contrast ionic, covalent,
network, metallic, polar, and non-polar substances with respect to constituent particles,
strength of bonds, melting, and boiling points and conductivity; provide examples of each
type.
Directions for BLOOMS – Higher Order – EVALUATING:
Students will hypothesize classification & solubility for a range of powdered crystals in their daily life
as Ionic or Covalent, polar or nonpolar, as well as conductivity of wood stir sticks vs. metal nail files.
Students will then record their observations & explanations in the lab report.

Learning Goals:
1) Students should be able to make educated predictions about:
a. Classification of Ionic & Covalent Substances in daily life
b. Solubility of Ionic & Covalent Substances
c. Conductivity of Ionic & Covalent Substances

Introduction:

Ionic Substances are comprised of ions. Covalent substances are composed of atoms.
Ionic and Covalent substances have different properties in liquids. Ionic substances will disassociate
(break apart) when in polar substances such as water. Covalent substances will disassociate (break
apart) when in nonpolar liquids such as heated fats. Disassociation can be viewed visually when a
substance of smaller amount (solute) dissolves in a substance of larger amount (solvent).

Bond Strengths:

Hydrogen Bonding (Hydrogen attached to-N, O, or F) < Ionic Bonding < Covalent Bonding

Weakest Strongest

Chem-is-try 41
Materials:

• 250 mL beaker filled with 150 mL DI water.

• Test tube rack.
• 4 test tubes
o 2 – ¾ filled with DI water
o 2 – ½ filled with vegetable oil
• 2 pieces of weighing paper or weighing boats
• 2 grams Sugar
• 2 grams Powdered Dish detergent
• Top loading balance for measuring powders
• Bunsen burner set
• Bunsen burner lighter
• 1 metal nail file
• 5 wood stirring sticks & brown school-grade paper towel
• 1 set of lab tongs
• Pencil for recording information
• White labeling tape & non-gel pen for writing label on tape

Safety Precautions:

1) If fire gets out of control notify teacher.

2) Notify teacher of any spills and stand beside the spill until spill is cleaned up so you are
guarding others from walking atop of it.
3) Long hair needs to be tied back out of faces.
4) No loose clothing – I don’t want you catching on fire – please.
5) Use appropriate laboratory tools. (Tongs to be used; NOT HANDS; when putting the stir
sticks and metal nail files into the flame of the Bunsen burner.)
6) Hot glassware needs to be removed or relocated using laboratory tongs.

Order of Activities:

1st – Make predictions about the materials & substances being used in the Bonding & Molecular
Structure Prediction Table.

2nd – Write a brief paragraph to explain why you predicted these materials & substances to be
classified as you did.

2nd – Carry out the specific experimental directions & record the data observed in the Bonding &
Molecular Structure Observations Table.

3rd – Write a concluding paragraph which explains your observed data as polar, nonpolar, ionic,
hydrogen or covalent.

Chem-is-try 42
Procedures:

Bonding & Molecular Structure Prediction Table

PART I: Solubility Portion

Liquids – Polar, Nonpolar or Both Powders – Polar, Nonpolar, or Both

H2O OIL SUGAR DISH POWDER

Liquids – Ionic, H-Bonds, or Covalent Powders – Ionic or Covalent

H2O OIL SUGAR DISH POWDER

PART II: Conductivity Portion – Conductor or nonconductor?

Wood Stir Sticks Metal Nail File

Explain your predictions in 5 sentences:

Chem-is-try 43
 Bonding & Molecular Structure Observations Table

PART I: Solubility Portion

Liquids – Polar, Nonpolar or Both Powders – Polar, Nonpolar, or Both

H2O OIL SUGAR DISH POWDER

Liquids – Ionic, H-Bonds, or Covalent Powders – Ionic or Covalent

H2O OIL SUGAR DISH POWDER

PART II: Conductivity Portion – Conductor or nonconductor?

***Note combustibility & color change if this occurs***

Wood Stir Sticks Metal Nail File

Explain your observations in 5 sentences:

Chem-is-try 44
 PART I
Solubility

1) Gather all of your materials.

2) Fill your 250 mL beaker with ~150 mL DI water. (An educated attempt, it doesn’t have to
be perfect.)

3) Fill 2 test tubes ~ ¾ with DI water & put them in your test tube rack. Label 1 water test
tube with white tape “H2O + sugar”. Label the other water test tube with white tape “H2O +
Dish Powder”.

4) Fill 2 test tubes ~ ½ with vegetable oil & put them in your test tube rack. Label 1 oil test
tube with white tape “Oil + sugar”. Label the other oil test tube with white tape “Oil + Dish
Powder”.

5) This step depends on whether you are using Weighing Paper or a Weighing Boat.

a. If using Weighing Paper:

i. In pencil, on the corner of a weighing paper 1 write “sugar”. In pencil, on the
corner of the other weighing paper, write “dish powder”.

b. If using a Weighing Boat:

i. Label 1 boat with white tape & pen “sugar”. Label the other weighing boat
with white tape & pen “dish powder”.

6) Weighing Sugar:

a. Place the weighing paper or weighing boat labeled “sugar” on the top loader balance
and zero it out. (Or record the weight here________ and add 2.0 to equal
_________.)

b. Add enough sugar until you have ~2 grams. (Close to sum from 6.a if applicable.)

c. Set aside & be careful not to spill it.

7) Weighing Dish Powder:

a. Place the weighing paper or weighing boat labeled “dish powder” on the top loader
balance and zero it out. (Or record the weight here _______ and add 2.0 to equal
________.)

b. Add enough dish powder until you have ~2 grams. (Close to sum from 7.a if
applicable.)

c. Carefully transport both the sugar & dish powder which have been weighed back to
your lab bench.

Chem-is-try 45
8) Mix in ½ of the sugar in the appropriate oil & water test tubes using 2 different wood
stirring sticks.

9) Put the 2 used wooden stirring sticks in the trash.

10) RECORD YOUR RESULTS IN THE OBSERVATIONS TABLE.

11) Mix in ½ of the dish powder in the appropriate oil & water test tubes using 2 different wood
stirring sticks.

12) Put the 2 used wooden stirring sticks in the trash.

13) RECORD YOUR RESULTS IN THE OBSERVATION TABLE.

PART II
Conductivity

14) Safely light the Bunsen burner.

15) Use the tongs to hold the dry wood stirring stick in the flame until it catches fire.

16) Let it burn as you like above the 250 mL beaker filled with ~150 mL of DI water.

17) Drop the burnt stick in the DI water.

18) RECORD YOUR RESULTS IN THE OBSERVATION TABLE.

19) Use the tongs to hold the metal nail file in the flame until it starts to turn color from the
heat.

20) Carefully place the metal nail file into the water, it will sizzle, this is okay, just don’t touch it.

21) Properly turn of the Bunsen burner.

22) RECORD YOUR RESULTS IN THE OBSERVATION TABLE.

23) Write your short conclusion paragraph.

24) Place your glassware containing both the nail file & the burnt wooden stirring stick into the
sink for the teacher to put away so as to eliminate the possibility of metal-induced burns.

25) Congratulations! You’ve completed Fab-Lab Activity C.3.5! You have hypothesized,

experimented, & recorded data as a General Chemist!

26) Turn in your lab.

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