Lab 2-3: Physical Properties of Solids

Purpose: In this lab you will investigate physical properties of solids to characterize and understand the
forces of attraction between atoms and between molecules.

Analysis:

Part 1: Of the three types of solids (molecular polar, molecular non-polar, ionic) which is held together
the strongest? Which is held together the weakest?

Claim: Of the three solids, ionic holds the strongest forces, and nonpolar
A claim is a statement that solids have the weakest.
answers the question. It will
usually only be one sentence in
length.

Evidence: During the experiment, sodium chloride, dextrose and

The evidence consists of results p-Dichlorobenzene were tested. Sodium had the highest melting
used to support the claim. It can point, then dextrose, then p-Dichlorobenzene.
be either quantitative and/or
qualitative, depending on the Sodium, which is an ionic solid, had the highest melting point.
question and/or lab.
p-Dichlorobenzene is a non-polar molecule and has the lowest
melting point.

Reasoning: This means that sodium chloride has the highest melting point
The reasoning is the explanation because it’s an ionic solid which we know because the
of “why and how” the evidence electronegativity between sodium and chloride is 2.1which
supports the claim and should makes it ionic due to the large difference between
include an explanation of the electronegativities. This makes the giving of electrons possible
underlying scientific concept that since sodium wants to lose an electron and chloride wants to gain
produced the evidence or data. one. The complete transfer of electrons are stronger than covalent
bonds because they completely transfer electrons adverse to
dipoles attracting the ends of another dipole.

Shown in the image, ionic solids form a lattice structure because

of their desire to be next to each other because of their strong
charges creates very little space.

The properties of melting cause the highest melting point to have

the strongest bonds and the lowest to have the weakest. As heat
adds potential energy, the particles go further from each other.
This makes the salt lattice to be extremely strong, and the rest
which are not as close as ionic solids, such as salt, to be weaker.
 The different levels of intermolecular bonds also endows them
different properties. With nonpolar bonds, they are not able to
create dipole dipole forces because of their zero charge. This
causes the polar molecule, dextrose, to be stronger than
p-dichlorobenzene which is non polar.

In conclusion, p-dichlorobenzene has the weakest bond because

of its non-polarity and therefore the distance between the atoms
causes weaker forces and lower melting points. Sodium, which
forms a lattice because of it being an ionic solid, melts at the
highest temperature because of its small distance between
molecules and stronger intermolecular force causing a stronger
attraction and needing more potential energy to separate it.

Potentially useful questions:

1. Complete the table based on the chemical models and the data from the lab.

dextrose p-dichloro- sodium

benzene chloride
Type of substance Molecular Molecular ionic
(molecular nonpolar, molecular polar non-polar
polar, ionic)
Type of attractive force (i.e., IMF or Dispersion ion-dipole
bond) disrupted upon melting dipole-dipole forces
Relative melting point (high or low) medium Low high

2. Using data from the lab, rank the solids according to strength of attractive force.

3. Using information from the table above, correlate the rankings from question #2 to the type of
attractive force and type of substance.
Part 2: Consider the following 3D model for trifluoroacetic acid. Do you predict trifluoroacetic acid to
be soluble in water or hexane?

Claim: I predict that trifluoroacetic acid is soluble in water.

A claim is a statement that
answers the question. It will
usually only be one sentence in
length.

Evidence: This is because trifluoroacetic acid is a polar molecule. I say this

The evidence consists of results because the molecule has different outer atoms, OH and O which
used to support the claim. It can are more electronegative, meaning it is polar.
be either quantitative and/or
qualitative, depending on the
question and/or lab.

Reasoning: \Different outer atoms cause polarity because the electrons move
The reasoning is the explanation towards the most electronegative particle, in this case it’s oxygen.
of “why and how” the evidence
supports the claim and should The molecule being polar is so important because the relation
include an explanation of the between solvent and solute is that a like solute will dissolve a like
underlying scientific concept that solvent. This is referring to polarity.
produced the evidence or data.
Trifluoroacetic acid is soluble in water because of the idea that
**You must talk about the like dissolves like. Since the molecule is deduced to be polar
different types of interactions because of the different outer atoms, it would also be dissolvable
between solute and solvent in water, which is also a polar substance.
molecules in your reasoning.

Potentially useful questions:

1. Complete the following table based on the chemical models of each substance

water hexane dextrose p-dichloro- naphthalene glycolic

benzene acid

Polar or nonpolar Polar Non-polar

molecule?
Type of attractive
force (s) between
particles in a pure
sample

Relative strength of
force(s) between
particles in a pure
sample

2. Consider a collection of magnets and a collection of marbles, if the magnets and marbles are
mixed together in one bowl, what do you expect to happen? Why?
3. Considering your solubility data from the lab, when something dissolves, how does the relative
strength of the attractive force between particles in the solvent compare to that in the solute?
4. Considering your solubility data from the lab, when something does not dissolve, how does the
relative strength of the attractive force between particles in the solvent compare to that in the
solute?
5. How do your answers to questions #3 and #4 relate to the scenario with magnets and marbles
(question #2)?
6. As matter can neither be created or destroyed, what do you think happens to the solid when it
dissolves and is no longer visible as a solid? In other words, why does the solid disappear when it
dissolves?
7. Looking at the 3D model for trifluoroacetic acid, do you expect the molecule to be polar or
nonpolar?
8. Given your answer to 7, with which of the solvents- water or hexane- would you expect the
trifluoroacetic acid molecules to interact? Via what type of interaction?