Fight Club Lab

bFight Club Lab

Problem: How is soap made? How does soap clean soiled articles? How does soap made in the laboratory compare to commercially-prepared soap?

Introduction: Soap is something that we regularly buy in the grocery store and use daily. This was not always the case. Queen Isabella of Spain (1451-1504) claimed that she had bathed twice in her entire life, once when she was born and again on her wedding day. Queen Elizabeth I of England (1558-1603) took a bath every three months whether she “needeth it or no”. Cleopatra, the beautiful queen of Egypt bathed in fragrant oils. The oils softened her skin, and the perfumes were needed to camouflage the odors produced by the bacteria on her skin. Soap was known in ancient Rome—a soap factory was revealed among the ruins of ancient Pompeii—but this soap was too harsh to use on skin.

The use of soap and water as we know it began in London when people realized that poor personal hygiene was part of the cause of cholera and typhoid epidemics. In 1846, the British government passed a Public Baths and Wash Act. It provided public baths and laundries for the working class of London. The idea rapidly spread throughout Europe and the United States.

Soap is produced when a fat (or oil) is mixed and heated with sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, in a chemical process called saponification. Solid soap is the sodium salt of a fatty acid. Soft soap is a mixture of soap and glycerol. Liquid soap is the potassium salt of a fatty acid.

In this experiment you will synthesize soap and then analyze its properties through several different chemical tests.

Pre-Lab Questions:

1. What are the properties of soap that you use at home? What functions do you expect your soap to perform? Describe what you expect from hand soap or detergent that washes your clothes.

2. Many organic compounds are nonpolar. Will these compounds be soluble in water? Why or why not? (remember the saying like dissolves like)

Procedure:

1. Weigh out 15-20 g of your selected oil or fat on a piece of weighing paper. (coconut oil, lard or vegetable shortening). Transfer it to a 400 mL (large) beaker. Throw away the weighing paper.

2. Weigh 8 g of NaOH to a weighing dish and place in the 250 mL (small) beaker.  Replace the weighing dish.

3. Measure 25 mL of H₂O in the larger graduated cylinder and to the NaOH and mix until completely dissolved.

4. Add your NaOH mixture to your 400 mL beaker that contains your fat.

5. Measure 10 mL of ethyl alcohol using small graduated cylinder. Add this to the 250 mL beaker containing the fat and NaOH solution.

6. Heat the mixture carefully on the heating unit on low to medium heat, stirring it CONSTANTLY for at least 20 minutes. The solution should be HOT BUT NOT BOILING.  If it looks like it will boil, take the beaker off using the beaker tongs and turn down the heat on your hot plate.

7. After 20 minutes, carefully drip in 10 mL of additional ethyl alcohol. Stir it well. As the mixture is heated, it will bubble and foam. Be careful to regulate your mixture by moving it as necessary from the heat to prevent the mixture from overflowing.

8. Then after another 20 minutes, add 25 mL of water and continue heating and stirring for an additional 10 minutes.

9. After the 10 minutes, remove from the heating unit. Allow the mixture to cool.

10. Remove the coagulated soap mass with your spoon. Using a paper towel; shape it into a bar or a ball. You may place it in a mold if you like to shape your soap. Place it on several layers of paper towel and label the paper towel with your group members name. Observe and record its smell and appearance.

11. Allow the soap to air dry until the next laboratory session.

Procedure: Part 2 Testing the Soap

1.  Place 10 mL of water in each of the three test tubes. Add 0.5 g of your soap to your first test tube. Stopper the tube and shake vigorously to test the foaming action of your soap. Repeat this process using commercial soap in the second test tube and commercial detergent in the third test tube. Use 0.5 g of soap each test. Record your observations. Put your test tube to the side and arrange them in order to not mix them up.

2.  Add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator solution to your first prepared test tube. Shake and record your observations. Repeat this process using commercial soap in the second test tube and commercial detergent in the third test tube. Record your observations. Clean out the test tubes. (Reminder: phenolphthalein turns dark pink in strong base and light pink in weak base. It is clear in neutral and acidic solutions.) Clean out the test tubes at the sink with a test tube brush.

3. Place 10 mL of water in each of the three test tubes. Add 8-10 drops of vegetable oil to each tube. Note that the oil forms a separate layer on top of the water. Stopper and shake the first tube. Add a 0.5 g of your soap to the first test tube. Stopper the tube and shake till all the soap is dissolved. Allow the tube to stand a few minutes and move on to prepare a 2^nd test tube.  Repeat this process using commercial soap in the second test tube and commercial detergent in the third test tube. After allowing the test tubes to sit, observe how much oil remains in each of the test tubes. Record your observations. Clean out the test tubes.

4. Place 10 mL of water in each of the three test tubes. Add a 0.5 g of your soap to the first test tube. Stopper the tube and shake to dissolve the soap. Add 10-12 drops of CaCl₂ solution to the soap solution. Shake and record the results. Repeat this process using commercial soap in the second test tube and commercial detergent in the third test tube. Record your observations. Clean out the test tubes.

Data:

	Test Tube #1: Your soap	Test tube #2: Commercial soap	Test tube #3: Commercial detergent
Color, texture and appearance of the soap:
Sudsing test:
Phenolphthalein test
Oil test:
Calcium chloride test:

Analysis:

1. How do the sudsing actions of the soaps (both yours and commercial soap) and detergent compare?

2. How do the oil breakup capabilities of the soaps and detergent compare?

3. Calcium chloride releases calcium ions in the water. This makes the water “hard”. How do the results of the soaps and detergent compare in hard water?

4. How do the pH values of the commercial soap and detergent compare with your soap?

5. In the lab used fats and oils to make your soap and they are organic compounds.  What are some of the properties of organic compounds that you can hypothesize from working with the fat. (Hint: think about the properties we have studied about elements such as boiling point, density.)

6. How did your soap compare to the soap from the store? Do you think it as good at those you purchase? Explain why or why not.

Ice/Water/Steam Investigation Lab

Ice/Water/Steam Investigation Lab

Question: What happens to the temperature of the water molecules as it changes state from solid to liquid and then to gas.  How does salt effect the boiling temperature of the water?

Objective:  To observe the temperature and heat of H₂0 as it changes state.  You will create your own procedure and use any materials listed.  Then after you observe your water boil, add salt to the water and observe its temperature.

Materials you can use: Hot plate, thermometer, balance, cups, beaker, stirrer, graduated cylinder, stopwatch on your phone, salt

RULES:
1. DO NOT LEAVE THE THERMOMETER IN THE BEAKER. Do NOT let it sit at the bottom of the beaker, hold it in the middle.

2. The amount of salt you use it up to but write down the total.

3. Stir your ice/water mixture regularly.

4. Your hot plate must be on a low setting, not turned all the way up.

5. Do NOT place anything on the hot plate except the beaker.

In your composition book:

1. Provide a detailed list of your steps in your procedure. Make sure to detail how much ice, salt and water you have in your experiment.

2. Collect data in a data table and make sure it is legible and it is clear what you are collecting and units are used.

3. Create a line graph of your data showing change over time.

4. Write an explanation of what your data showed during your investigation as it relates to the ice, temperature and heat.  (Hint: Think about including words such as melting, boiling, heat, temperature, constant.)

5. According to your data and graph, what is the freezing temperature of water? The boiling temperature?

6. Look at the graph. Did you have a period of time where your temperature was constant? Explain when and what was happening in your experiment.

7. What effect did adding salt have to water when it was boiling? How is this related to your ice cream lab?

8. Create a model the ice before you added heated and then when it completely melted, then when it was boiling. (Three models in total)

Ice Cream Lab

ICE CREAM LAB

Problem: When you make ice cream what is the purpose of the salt that is added to your ice? You will experiment different ratios with and without salt to see which is the most successful.

Pre-Lab Questions:

1. What do you think would make a “successful” ice cream in lab? What would you like your ice cream to be like before you eat it?

2. Is making ice cream a physical or chemical change? Explain why.

3. What is the change of state that is occurring when you make ice cream? Is it exothermic or endothermic? Explain why.

Make your hypothesis:

What ratio of salt to ice do you think will produce ice cream the fastest, and give the reason why you think this. 

Procedure:

1. Place 6 cups of ice in your milk jug.

2. Measure your salt on the scale as listed in your assigned ratio below. 

3. Place your salt with your ice and shake up your jug to mix it up.

4. Take your tin can to Ms. Cotta to fill with the ice cream solution.

Ratio                   Amounts

0:100                  no salt, 6 cups of ice

1:10                    40 g salt, 6 cups of ice

1:8                       50 g salt, 6 cups of ice

1:5                       80 g salt, 6 cups of ice

1:4                       100 g salt, 6 cups of ice

1:2                       200 g salt, 6 cups of ice

1:1                       400 g salt, 6 cups of ice

5. Push your tin can down into your ice and salt mixture so that it is surrounded by ice cream on the sides and underneath.

6. Put your thermometer into the ice (NOT THE ICE CREAM) and measure the initial temperature of the ice.

7. Stir your ice cream regularly with the wooden stick so that it will freeze evenly. The bottom and sides will freeze first.

8. Every five minutes check the temperature of the ice and write it in your data table.

9. Check the consistency of the ice cream and write and observation such as runny (still like milk), thin (little frozen pieces), thick (almost frozen).

10. After 30 minutes you may dish out your ice cream to you and your partner and try it out.

Data Table

Salt to Ice Ratio (write your ratio)	0 mins	5 mins	10 mins	15 mins	20 mins	25 mins	30 mins
Temperature
observation (runny, thin, thick)

Clean-Up:

1. Wash out your tin can and replace at your table.

2. Wash out your milk jug in the sink and replace at your table.

3. Wash out your bowls (IF THEY ARE PLASTIC) and recycle them in blue bin.

4. Throw out your spoons and wooden stick.

5. Wipe down your table with a sponge if needed.

Conclusion:

Use the following words to explain this experiment to someone else in a short paragraph: freezing, melting, temperature, ice cream, mixture.  Please underline each of these words in your paragraph.

Questions:

1. Why did the ice cream solution freeze? What is required to turn your liquid to a solid?

2. Which ratio makes ice cream the fastest? What is your evidence for this?

3. What is the purpose of the salt? Would this work without salt? What is your evidence?

4. What was the change of state that occurred? Is it a physical or chemical change? Why?

5. What is the variable (the thing that changes) and controls (the things that stay the same) in this experiment?

6. Draw a model showing what your ice cream mixture was like when it was first place in the ice and then a second model showing it at the end of 30 minutes. Show the speed of the molecules and explain which way the heat is flowing.

Specific Heat of a Metal Lab

Specific Heat of a Metal

Objective: To identify the specific heat of a metal and compare to the actual specific heat to our calculations.  Then to use this technique to identify an unknown metal.

Pre-Lab Questions:

1. Why do we measure the water’s volume in milliliters instead of in grams since the specific heat is in measured in J/g∙°C?

2. A 22.50 g piece of an unknown metal is heated to boiling (100°C) then transferred quickly and without cooling into 100 mL of water at 20.0°C. The final temperature of the system is 26.9°C.

a. Calculate the quantity of the heat absorbed by the water. Show all work.

b. Determine the quantity of heat lost by the piece of metal.

c. Calculate the specific heat of the metal in J/g∙°C. Show all work.

Procedure:

1.      Heat 200 mL of water to boiling. It must be rapidly boiling, if unsure ask Ms. Cotta.

2.      Meanwhile measure a sample of metal on the balance and record the mass and identity in your data.

3.      Measure 100 mL of water and place in your Styrofoam cup, record the volume and mass in your data.

4.      Record the initial temperature of the water in your data.

5.      When the water is boiling, carefully place your metal into the boiling water and leave for three minutes.

6.      After three minutes, carefully pull your metal out of the boiling water using a tool and immediately place in your prepared Styrofoam cup of water.

7.      Determine the highest temperature that the water reaches and record in your data. (MAKE SURE THERMOMETER IS TOUCHING WATER AND NOT METAL!)

8.      Make sure all the data is collected and written down.

Data for three trials:

Identity of metal:                              _________                _________                _______

Mass of metal sample:                    _____ g                      ______ g                    _____g

Volume of water used:                    _____ mL                   ______ mL                 _____mL

Mass of water used:                         _____ g                      ______ g                    _____g

Initial temperature of water:          _____ °C                    ______ °C                  _____°C

Final temperature of water:           _____ °C                    ______ °C                  _____°C

Temperature difference:                 _____ °C                    ______ °C                  _____°C

Initial temperature of metal:          _____ °C                    ______ °C                  _____°C

Final temperature of metal:           _____ °C                    ______ °C                  _____°C

Temperature difference:                 _____ °C                    ______ °C                  _____°C

Analysis:

1. Calculate the quantity of heat gained by the water like you did in your pre-lab questions for all three of your trials.

Sample 1: Q = ______J

Sample 2: Q = ______J

Sample 3: Q = ______J

2. Assume that the quantity of heat lost by the metal is equal to the quantity of the heat gained by the water. Use this quantity to determine the specific heat, s, of the metal. Use your DT for the metal from your data. 

Sample 1: _______ J/ g∙°C

Sample 2: _______ J/ g∙°C

Sample 3: _______ J/ g∙°C

3. In your calculations you assumed that all the heat from the metal went into the water. Is this a fair assumption to make? Why or why not?

4. Look at the specific heat of your metal from the white board and calculate your percent error using this equation.

% error = (actual specific heat value) – (your specific heat value calculated)        x 100%

                                                            (actual specific heat value)

Flow of Energy Lab

Flow of Energy Lab

Pre-Lab Questions:

1. Explain the difference between exothermic and endothermic. Give an example of each.

2. Show in a model how the heat will flow if a hot coffee is left on a table.  In addition, show how the molecules are moving in the coffee and in the room around it.

Make your hypothesis:  Explain what will happen if a hot liquid and a cold liquid will come in contact with each other. Make sure to explain in terms of heat flow and the movement of the molecules.

Design your experiment:

Instructions—

1. Conduct three different experiments of heat flow between a cold and hot liquid. How much liquid, the temperature of the liquids, and how the liquids interact is up to you.  You may put the liquids next to each other or put them inside each other in separate containers.

2. Measure temperature regularly by timing the experiment on your phone.

3. It is your decision for how long to carry out the experiment and when to collect data.

4. Make a data table for each experiment of the three experiments, note on the data table what equipment is used.

5. Your data should be able to be made into a graph showing the temperature over time.

Data Table:

Equipment used: (Write down all of the equipment that you used)

(Make the data table as big as you need for a long as you take measurement.)

Time:	Hot Water Temperature:	Cold Water Temperature:

Jobs:

Longest hair: Set up/Recorder

Next longest hair: Clean up/Measure hot water temperature

Next longest hair: Set up/Measure cold water temperature

Shortest hair: Clean up/Timer

Analyzing:

1. Create two graphs of your data. Each graph is a different data table and experiment. On the x-axis place the time and on the y-axis place the temperature. Use a different colored pencil for to graph the hot and cold water in your graph.

2. Did any of your experiments reach a temperature equilibrium between the hot and cold water? If it did reach equilibrium tell which ones did and explain why. If it didn’t, explain why or why not you think it will reach a temperature equilibrium.

3. Look at your data and graphs, did the type of materials you used such as glass, plastic or Styrofoam effect the temperature change? (Hint: did it change temperature faster or slower?) Explain why. 

4. Did the amount of hot or cold water have an effect on the temperature change? Explain how it affect the temperatures in your data. (Hint: look at your data to see how quickly or slowly hot or cold water changed temperature.)

Energy in Snacks Lab

Energy Value of Snacks

Problem: How much heat is available from the combustion of peanuts, almonds, and other snacks? Can this heat be measured?

Objective:  When you eat food, your body is actually “combusting”-burning the food.  The fat, protein and carbohydrates react with the oxygen in your body to produce carbon dioxide and water.  You will choose three types of snack to burn and measure the amount of energy released via water being heated by flame.  Unfortunately, we will lose a lot of heat to the surroundings and we also will have to heat the aluminum can as well. 

Pre-Lab Questions:

1. Look at the set up for the lab, explain which part is exothermic and which part is endothermic and tell why.

2. If a bag of potatoes weighs 5 pounds and costs $1.35.  How much does it cost per pound?

3. What if you only use 3 pounds of the potatoes and the other 2 pounds go bad. If the bag still costs $1.35 what is the cost per pound of what you actually used?

1. Hypothesis: Predict which snack of the three you are testing——will furnish the greatest amount of energy per gram. Remember that it is not about which is the heaviest but which has more amount of energy per gram. Explain your hypothesis.

2. Data Table: Make sure to write units

	Trial #1—type of nut ___________	Trial #2—type of nut _________	Trial #3—type of nut _________
Mass of snack (initial)
Mass of can
Volume of water
Temperature initial of water
Temperature final of water
Mass of leftover snack

3. Determine the change in mass of each snack from before and after combustion.

     Mass of nut (initial) – mass of leftover nut = mass of nut that combusted

4. Determine the change in temperature of water (and therefore, also the can) before and after combustion.

          Temperature final – Temperature initial = Temperature change

5. Determine the heat absorbed by the water, using the equation Q = s x m x DT

          (specific heat for water is 4.18 J/g×C°)

                                                                                                             

6. Determine the heat absorbed by the can, using the equation Q = s x m x DT

          (specific heat for aluminum is 0.9 J/g×C°)

7. Determine the total heat absorbed by the water and the can. Add #5 + #6.

          NOTE: This is also equal to the heat released by the snack.

8. Determine the total heat released per gram of nut. #7 divided by #3.

          Divide by the total heat by the total gram of nut that combusted.

9. Summary Table

	Trial #1—type of snack	Trial #2—type of snack	Trial #3—type of snack
Mass of combusted nut #3
Change in Temperature (DT) #4
Heat absorbed by the water #5
Heat absorbed by the can  #6
Total heat absorbed #7
Total heat released per gram of nut #8

10. Critique the procedure used in this experiment. Do you expect the procedure to give an accurate energy value for the nuts? Explain your answer.

11. Draw a model of the set up before it is lit and then a second model after it is lit to show the direction of the heat flow and which part is exothermic and endothermic.  Remember to draw what is happening to the molecules!