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Chemical Reactions Laboratory

Materials:

 2 - 100 mL beakers
 distilled water
 stirring rod
 small scoopful of copper(II) chloride
 thermometer
 paper towel
 10 cm x 10 cm square of aluminum foil
 mortar and pestle

Procedure:
For each step (except step 1 and 9), record your observations in the chart below.

1. Pour 40mL of distilled water into a 100mL beaker.

2. Place one scoop of copper (II) chloride into a second 100mL beaker. Describe
the copper (II) chloride used quantitative observations in the chart below.

3. Without stirring, drop the copper (II) chloride into the water in the first beaker.
Look at the chemical in the water and observe it over one minute. Describe what
you see in the chart below.

4. Use a stirring rod to stir the solid copper (II) chloride in the water for a minute.
Describe what you see in the chart below. Take the temperature of the solution
and record this as the “Initial Temperature” in your chart.

5. Make a loose ball out of the aluminum foil – DO NOT SCRUNCH IT UP TIGHT!!
Describe the aluminum foil and record your observations in the chart below.

6. Drop the aluminum foil into the copper (II) chloride solution. Use the
thermometer to CAREFULLY stir the mixture. Describe everything you see,
including the new temperature.
 7. When no more changes are observed, carefully pour the liquid into the sink and
use a stirring rod to dump the remaining solid in the beaker onto a piece of dry
paper towel, in a little pile. Carefully fold the paper towel over the pile of solid
and squeeze the solid until it is dry. Describe the dry solid in the chart below.

8. Place the dry pile of solid in a mortar and pestle and use the pestle to firmly
grind the solid into the bottom of the mortar. After one minute of doing this, look
at the solid and describe what you see in the chart below.

9. After completing these observations dispose of the solid in the garbage, rinse
out your equipment, and put it back in the correct storage areas.

Observations
STEP 2
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STEP 3

STEP 4
 STEP 5

STEP 6

STEP 7

STEP 8

Conclusion Questions:

1. What physical changes occurred in this experiment?

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2. Make a list of the chemical changes you observed in the experiment.
Provide evidence to support each statement.

3. Where did the aluminum foil go?

4. When copper is chemically reacted, the solid metal dissolves and forms a
blue solution. Did the dissolved copper remain in the solution at the end of
the reaction? Why or why not?

5. Is it possible that the bubbles were caused by boiling and not by a chemical
change? Why?