My PBL Project

Introduction

In my Chemistry class we've been learning about different types of bonds, and the properties of them.Also, throughout all my science classes, I've been taught what solubility is, but nothing else besides the very basics, and have wondered more about it. Based on that, I decided to combine those to ideas. The driving question of my project is whether the different types of bonds have different solubility rates in differently bonded solutions, and whether temperature affects solubility.

Materials

    • 2 Test Tubes

    • Water

    • Olive Oil

    • Salt

    • Sugar

    • Paraffin

    • Dixie Cups

    • Small spoon

    • Ice

    • Bowl

    • Metal Cup

    • Scale

    • Burner

    • Thermometer

  • Pipettes

Procedure

    1. Fill separate Dixie Cups with water and olive oil.

    2. Measure the mass of the empty test tube.

    3. Fill the test tube about halfway with water, and the other test tube up the same amount with olive oil.

    4. Weigh the test tubes with the liquid inside them.

    5. Using the spoon, spoon salt into both of the test tubes. Using the pipettes, suck in the solution above the substance and put it back out, agitating the solution and making it dissolve.

    6. Repeat until no more salt dissolves, with some at the bottom.

    7. Remove all solution with the pipettes and put it into another Dixie cup.

    8. Weigh the test tube with the undissolved solute at the bottom.

    9. Repeat steps 5-8 except with sugar, and a new batch of water and olive oil from the Dixie cups.

    10. Repeat steps 5-6 with water in both test tubes, one with sugar, and one with salt.

    11. Next, take the bowl and fill it with ice cubes. In the middle of the bowl, put the metal cup in the center, filled with water. In the cup, place the two test tubes.

    12. Wait a half hour.

    13. Then do steps 7-8

    14. Boil a pot of water

    15. Repeat step 11, but replace the ice cubes with boiling water. Wait a half hour, then repeat steps 7-8

    16. Clean out the test tubes.

    17. Fill the test tube about halfway with water, and the other test tube the same amount with olive oil.

    18. Using the block of paraffin, scrape off flakes of paraffin onto a spoon.

    19. Melt it on the spoon over a candle, and pour a spoonful into both test tubes.

    20. Put the test tubes into another boiling water bowl, exactly like the one used before.

    21. Take the test tubes out, and look at it to see which solution dissolved.

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Safety Regulations

Be cautious around the flames and boiling water. No other safety precautions are needed.

Heated Water Chilled Water

Scientific Principle

For an explanation on all the scientific background of this project, visit my Background Research page or in the Document below.