General and Inorganic Chemistry

Laboratory Report

Physical and Chemical Changes

Activity No. 5

Utam, Kashiefa N.
BS PSY 3; PsycSci1 Lab A
2nd Semester, SY 2023-24
February 26, 2024
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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory Report

RATIONALE
H

The following are the objectives for this activity:

1. .
2. .
3. .

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
 General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory Report

DATA INTERPRETATION

Table No. 1

REACTANTS OBSERVATIONS/EVIDENCES PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL CHANGE

1. Ethyl Alcohol (watch glass) Substance evaporated Physical change

2. Ethyl Alcohol (porcelain

Substance ignited and evaporated Chemical change
dish)

3. Sugar crystals Substance liquefied/caramelized Physical change

4. Sand Sand became hot Physical change

5. Cupric Sulfate Became a white powder Chemical change

6. Zinc and hydrochloric acid Acid bubbled up Chemical change

7. Sugar and water Sugar dissolved Physical change

8. Ammonium chloride and It dissolved and liquid became

Physical change
water grainy

The two substances did not mix

9. Sulfuric acid and water Chemical Change
and the water boiled

Interpretation: The table above contains information on nine different physical and chemical changes observed in the
activity. The first row indicates that the evaporation of ethyl alcohol is a physical change because the alcohol simply
turned into gas form. The second row indicates that igniting the alcohol results to a chemical change
(C2H5OH(l)+3O2(g)→2CO2(g)+3H2O(l)), namely combustion. The third row indicates that melting sugar crystals with heat

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
 General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory Report

only liquefies the sugar and changes its color while retaining its chemical composition, which classifies it as a
physical change. The fourth row indicates that heating sand is a physical change because it only changed in
temperature and not in composition. The fifth row indicates that heating cupric sulfate turns it into a white powder,
which has a different chemical composition (2CuSO4(s)→2CuO(s)+2SO2(g)+O2(g)). The sixth row indicates that combining
zinc and hydrochloric acid causes the water to bubble up, forming zinc chloride (Zn(s)+2HCl(aq)→ZnCl2(aq)+H2(g)). The
seventh row indicates that combining sugar and water is a physical change as it simply causes the sugar to dissolve,
with no changes to its chemical properties. The eighth row indicates that combining ammonium chloride and water
results to a physical change as it only dissolved with no changes to its composition. The last row indicates that
combining sulfuric acid with water, on the other hand, results to a chemical change as it breaks the acid apart into
ions (H2SO4(l) +H2O(l)→2H⁺ (aq) + SO4²⁻ (aq) ). Distinguishing chemical from physical changes is important because it
lets us know how particular substances are created and it also lets us know which chemicals are potentially
dangerous when they come in contact with each other.

Table No. 2

REACTION TYPE OBSERVATIONS/EVIDENCES WORD EQUATION

Magnesium ignited and emitted Magnesium + Oxygen 

Synthesis or Combination
sparks Magnesium Oxide

Cupric Sulfate  copper(II)

Decomposition Cupric sulfate became white oxide + sulfur dioxide gas +
oxygen gas

Zinc + Hydrochloric acid 

Single displacement Acid bubbled up
zinc chloride + hydrogen

Silver nitrate + Sodium chloride

Metathesis or double
White precipitate is evident  silver chloride + sodium
displacement
nitrate

Interpretation: The table above contains four types of chemical reactions, namely synthesis, decomposition, single
displacement, and metathesis. Observations taken from performing parts of the procedures that involved chemical
change were categorized under their corresponding reaction type. Moreover, the word equations specifying the
reactants and products formed by the chemical changes that occurred are also in the table. From the word equations,

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory Report

characteristics of each chemical change can be identified. Synthesis reactions such as 2Mg(s)+O2(g)→2MgO(s) appear
to merge two elements into one product. Decomposition reactions like 2CuSO4(s)→2CuO(s)+2SO2(g)+O2(g) only involve
one reactant that breaks down into multiple products. Single displacement reactions such as
Zn(s)+2HCl(aq)→ZnCl2(aq)+H2(g) replace one element in the compound while metathesis reactions as described in
AgNO3(aq)+NaCl(aq)→AgCl(s)+NaNO3(aq) involve the exchange of two elements between compounds. Awareness of the
information mentioned beforehand is helpful in predicting products that can result from chemical reactions not only
in the laboratory but also in daily activities such as cooking and cleaning, therefore minimizing risk of unforeseen
chemical reactions such as the creation of mustard gas.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1. Define a metathesis reaction. Give an example.

ANSWER: Metathesis is otherwise known as exchange reaction. It is a bimolecular chemical

change wherein atoms of different substances switch positions with each other, retaining the
bonding to create new products (Bhuyan, 2021). An example of this reaction is when
magnesium sulfate and sodium carbonate mix to create sodium sulfate and magnesium
carbonate (MgSO4(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) → Na2SO4(aq) + MgCO3(s)).

2. Balance these equations:

a. KBrO3 (s)  KBr(s) + O2 (g)

ANSWER: 2KBrO3(s)  2KBr(s) + 3O2 (g)

b. MnBr2 (aq) + AgNO3 (aq)  Mn(NO3)2(aq) + AgBr(s) 

ANSWER: MnBr2 (aq) + 2AgNO3 (aq)  Mn(NO3)2(aq) + 2AgBr(s)

3. How can one distinguish between the gases H2 and H2S?

ANSWER: Distinguishing between the two gases can be done through looking at their
chemical composition. Dihydrogen (H2) is solely composed of hydrogen atoms, while
hydrogen sulfide (H2S) contains an atom of sulfur alongside the hydrogen atoms. Another
way of distinguishing between them is by odor. Dihydrogen is odorless while hydrogen
sulfide has a strong odor of rotten eggs. Other than that, hydrogen sulfide is also

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory Report

environmentally hazardous and toxic compared to dihydrogen (PubChem, 2019; PubChem,

n.d.).

4. Write the equations for the decomposition of H2CO3 and H2SO4.

ANSWER: H2CO3(aq)  CO2(g) + H2O(l) and H2SO4(l)  ½O2(g) + SO2(g) + H2(g)

5. Using water, how can one distinguish between the white solids KCl and PbCl2?

ANSWER: By placing both compounds in water, it is possible to tell them apart based on
their solubility. According to PubChem (2019a; 2019b), potassium chloride (KCl) is freely
soluble in water, while lead chloride (PbCl2) is only slightly soluble in water. This means that
whichever dissolves faster is the potassium chloride.

CONCLUSION

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory Report

REFERENCES

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University