Experiment No.

PROPERTIES THAT DISTINGUISH ORGANIC FROM INORGANIC

COMPOUNDS

Inorganic compounds are ionic compounds (water being the exception). This ionic
quality makes them relatively nonvolatile solids with a disposition toward water solubility.
There are exceptions, of course, but as a reasonable first assumption, any water-soluble, high-
melting compound that will neither char nor ignite and burn completely away is probably
both ionic and inorganic.
Organic compounds, by contrast, characteristically char or burn. If they contain no
metal atoms, they ignite completely, leaving no residue. Most of them are insoluble in water
but dissolve readily in organic solvents such as dichloromethane. Organic compounds tend to
boil or melt easily, and they have odors.

Procedure:

I. Flammability Test
1. Place 2.0 to 3.0 drops of ethanol in an evaporating dish.
2. Ignite the ethanol with a lighted matchstick.
3. Repeat the test, using NaCl solution instead of ethanol.

II. Charring
1. Place a pinch of sucrose in a tin bottle cap.
2. Heat over a Bunsen flame for 2-3 minutes.
3. Repeat the test, using a pinch of KCl instead of sucrose.

Questions for Discussion:

1.)
a. What happens to the ethanol? NaCl solution?
When the ethanol was ignited, a flame is produced for a long period of time as it
combust. On the other hand, when the NaCl solution was ignited, no flame is produced as the
solution did not combust.
b. Which substance is flammable? Ethanol
 c. What kind of flame was produced? Blue and orange
d. What type of compound is the flammable substance? Organic compound

2.)
a. Describe the substance left after heating the sucrose and KCl.
Sucrose - After heating for a few seconds, the substance became amber in color, then
turned black after a few minutes.
KCl - KCl was mixed with water and once the water evaporated, the substance
remained white in color.
b. Compare the results obtained.
Compared to table sugar which turned black and charred when heated, KCl remained
white in color.

3.)
a. Which substance is soluble to water?
Benzoic acid and naphthalene are insoluble in water while NaCl is soluble in water.
b. Which substance is soluble to petroleum ether?
Naphthalene is soluble in petroleum ether and Benzoic acid is slightly soluble in
petroleum ether. On the other hand, NaCl is insoluble to petroleum ether.
c. What type of compound is soluble to petroleum ether? Organic Compound
d. What type of compound is soluble in water? Inorganic Compound

4.)
a. Which substance is a strong electrolyte? NaCl solution
b. Which substance is a weak electrolyte? None
c. Which substance is a non-electrolyte? Sucrose solution, glycerol, and ethanol.
d. What type of compound is the non-electrolyte substance? Organic compound