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Expt. No. 5 Metals and Some Aspects of Corrosion
Expt. No. 5 Metals and Some Aspects of Corrosion
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Experiment No. 5
METALS AND SOME ASPECTS OF CORROSION
Theory:
Metals are composed of atoms which easily lose electrons and form cations. They possess a
lustrous appearance, have high thermal and electrical conductivities and are malleable and
ductile.
Corrosion is a general term applied to the process in which uncombined metals, when left
exposed, eventually combine with the elements surrounding them (e.g. oxygen from the air) to
form compounds. In the special case of iron, the corrosion process is called rusting because the
compound formed is rust Fe2O3 ٠x H2O.
Procedure:
NOTE: Na metal is not available.
A. Physical attributes of the metals.
1. Put samples of the following metals on a watch glass: Na, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Fe. Examine
the samples and record its physical state, appearance, color, and hardness in a watch glass.
Write your observations on the table provided.
1. Fill four 5mm test tubes with 1.0 ml magnesium chloride solution. Drop a small piece of
magnesium ribbon to the first test tube, zinc metal to the second, iron nail to the third and
copper wire to the fourth test tube. Observe any changes on the test tubes from time to time for
at least 5 minutes.
Observations:
2. Repeat procedure 4 using copper (II) sulfate solution.
Observations:
3. Repeat procedure 4 using zinc chloride solution.
Observations:
4. Repeat procedure 4 using ferric chloride.
Observations:
1. Fill four 10mm test tubes (10-mmm) with1.0 mL freshly prepared agar-agar solution. Add 10
drops of 0.1 M K3Fe(CN)6 and 5 drops of 1% phenolphthalein. Drop a piece of straight iron nail,
bent nail, nail wrapped with copper wire and a nail coated with mossy zinc to each test tube
separately.
Observations:
Summary of Results:
A. Physical attributes of the metals.
b. solution + phenolphthalein
c. solution + methyl orange
2. metals in water with
a. phenolphthalein: observed chemical changes with balance chemical equations below
Mg + H2O
Zn + H2O
Fe + H2O
Cu + H2O
b. metals in water with phenolphthalein
Mg + H2O
Zn + H2O
Fe + H2O
Cu + H2O
Arrange the five metals in decreasing order of activity in water:
3. Summarize all observed results in the table below. If a reaction occurred between the metal
and the solution place a positive sign (+) in the appropriate box and give the experimental
observation. If no reaction occurred write a minus sign (-).
SOLUTIONS
METALS MgCl2 FeCl3 ZnCl2 CuSO4
Fe a. e. i. m.
Cu b. f. j. n.
Zn c. g. k. o.
Mg d. h. l. p.
Arrange the four metals from the least reactive to the most reactive.
Questions:
1. Explain the role of the potassium hexacyanoferrate, agar agar solution and phenolphthalein
in procedure 8.
2. Explain how corrosion occurs in metals.
3. Give 5 ways to prevent corrosion. Explain and give examples.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.