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How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a metal?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:32 pm
by Hera
Marie mixed 5 g of carbon with 5 g of lead oxide.
She heated the mixture strongly for 15 minutes in a fume cupboard.
After 15 minutes, Marie found some shiny beads in the mixture.
(a) (i) Marie collected all the shiny beads from this experiment.
How could she test them to show they were metal?
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Given that non-metals e.g carbon share many of the properties of metals how would you test if the shiny beads from the experiment above are metals?
We are very stuck.
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:37 pm
by Eccentric
Is this what you are after?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bead_test" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:41 pm
by RedVelvet
It's been a while but...
The question seems to be asking about properties of metals and non-metals; conductivity, reactions with acids/bases etc. that would be my starting point.
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:11 pm
by Hera
That is where we started. However some non metals have the same properties of metals. The only thing we thought of was a flame test as the colour of carbon is different.
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:36 pm
by Minesatea
DS's suggestion is to add the beads to an alkali such as silver nitrate. Lead would react, carbon wouldn't.
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:37 pm
by RedVelvet
True, but given the starting point you only have to differentiate between carbon and lead. Maybe that's too simplistic? What year is this for?
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:42 pm
by Tinkers
Carbon is the only non metal that conducts electricity under normal conditions.
Density might be another option. Lead is quite dense in comparison to carbon.
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:03 pm
by Hera
Tinkers and red velvet given that you said that carbon is the only non metal that conducts electricity I think that you could test it using a circuit as it clearly says in the question that the granules are shiny so they can't be carbon. Thank you.
Re: How do you test to see if small shiny objects are a meta
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:06 pm
by RedVelvet
Minesatea wrote:DS's suggestion is to add the beads to an alkali such as silver nitrate. Lead would react, carbon wouldn't.
Acids and bases seems a good starting point.