Methodically Identify Ten Different Compounds

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* Chemistry Laboratory Report * * * Aim * * To Methodically identify ten different compounds by performing a series of tests on ten unknown white solids. * * * Introduction * * The series of tests known as an analytical scheme, should allow the compounds to be identified in an efficient manner. * * The ability to scientifically identify unknown substances offers a variety of important capabilities. For example, the ability to ascertain whether a substance is highly reactive and/or toxic, poses a threat to health and safety and the disposability of any substance. * * All of the substances have properties that can be used to identify them. These are physical properties and chemical properties. * * Physical properties can be observed without changing the chemical nature of any substance and are used to describe a substance. Some of the properties can be identified even without the use of equipment. Physical properties include: colour, odor, density, melting point, texture, boiling point, solubility, freezing point, conductivity and malleable amongst others. * * Chemical properties can only be observed once a substance undergoes a chemical reaction/change. Essentially describing how a substance will react with other substances: a change to the chemical formula. Chemical properties include: flammability, toxicity, reactivity with water and heat of combustion. * * The more identifiable properties, the greater understanding of the nature of a substance and its behaviour under various conditions. * * For the purpose of this experiment, test 1 will look for the physical properties of the compounds. By comparing the solubility of an unknown compound in aqueous solutions, it is possible to characterise the unknown and limit the possible functional groups of the compound. *
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