Activity 1.

2
Chemicals from seawater
Skills
AO3.1 Demonstrate knowledge of how to safely use techniques, apparatus and
materials (including following a sequence of instructions where appropriate)
AO3.3 Make and record observations, measurements and estimates
AO3.4 Interpret and evaluate experimental observations and data

3.5% dissolved 2.6% sodium chloride

minerals 0.3% magnesium chloride
0.2% magnesium sulfate
0.1% calcium sulfate
0.1% potassium chloride
100 dm3 0.01% potassium bromide
seawater 96.5% water
small amounts of most
other elements

This experiment is designed to show that seawater contains a mixture of different salts. The sea is mainly
water but there are lots of other things in it too. The most common substance in seawater is sodium chloride,
or common salt. Other substances in it include calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and tiny amounts of
metals such as copper and iron.
Apparatus and chemicals
Universal Indicator solution 2 drinking straws
beaker (250 cm3) 3 beakers (100 cm3)
filter funnel filter paper
Bunsen burner and heatproof mat gauze
tripod conical flask (100 cm3)
teat pipette 200 cm3 seawater
stopwatch access to hydrochloric acid (1 mol/dm3)

Safety
Wear eye protection throughout. Take care with hot apparatus and solutions. Blow gently and do not suck up
the water when using straws. Dispose of straws at the end of the activity.
Method

beaker
seawater
gauze

tripod

Bunsen burner

beaker with first solids

1 Place 200 cm3 of seawater in a 250 cm3 beaker.

2 Heat and boil the seawater.

© Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Activities: Chapter 1 2

 3 Stop heating when about 60–70 cm3 of liquid remains. Solid will be precipitated during this evaporation
process.
4 Allow to cool and let any solids settle.
5 Pour the clear liquid into a 100 cm3 beaker, leaving the solids behind.
6 Add a few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid to the solids left behind and observe what happens.
7 Put the 100 cm3 beaker on the tripod and gauze and heat the liquid until another solid appears. This will
occur when about 30–40 cm3 of liquid remains.
8 Carefully filter the liquid into the conical flask.
9 Wash out the 100 cm3 beaker and pour the filtrate into the beaker.
10 Boil the liquid again until there is almost none left.
11 Let it cool and note what you observe.

The role of the oceans in the carbon cycle: exchanging carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and ocean

1 Pour 100 cm3 of seawater into one beaker and 100 cm3 of fresh (tap) water into the other.
2 Add several drops of Universal Indicator to each so that the colour is clearly visible.
3 Next, using the straw, blow gently and consistently into the water samples – first the seawater, then the
fresh water. In each case, time how long it takes the indicator to become yellow. Record the results.

Questions
A1 What evidence is there that seawater is a mixture of salts?
A2 What gas is likely to have been given off when hydrochloric acid is added to the solids first collected?
A3 What does this tell you about the identity of these solids?
A4 Research the internet to try to find information about the solubilities of sodium chloride and calcium
sulfate – two common compounds present in seawater. Use this information to predict the possible
identity of the final solid left at the end of your experiment.

© Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Activities: Chapter 1 3