Abstract- Copper Wire Lab

There are pipe corrosion's all around the Bay and many civilians do not know what is causing this to happen.

In order to find the cause to this problem, a variety of labs had to be conducted. These labs consisted of a Water Investigation lab, Aluminum and "Blue Stuff" lab, Magnesium and Oxygen lab, and a Zinc- Iodine lab. 

We demonstrated the pipe corrosion's in San Francisco by characterizing and observing one specific lab that showed us how the reaction happened. This- one -lab included Silver Nitrate(AgNO3), Water(H2O), and Copper(Cu).
Based on the results we encountered during these labs, we concluded that there was a single replacement during the reaction between silver and copper in the Original Copper Wire lab. Our previous labs told us how the reaction happened and had elements that played the same role as the ones in the original copper pipe corrosion lab to show us the correlation between both.

For example the Aluminum and Blue stuff lab showed us that there was a single replacement. In the Aluminum and Blue stuff lab, it showed us that Copper and Chlorine were bonded together at first an then Aluminum bonded with the chlorine, separating the copper and making in independent: 

3CuCl+Al → AlCl3+Cu

In addition, the water investigation  relates to the copper pipe corrosion problem in San Francisco by having the battery (In the water investigation lab) serve as the copper in the original lab. The copper separated the silver nitrate to two different atoms, causing the after effects to occur- similar to the water investigation with the battery separating the water molecules to sets of hydrogen's and oxygen's.

Furthermore, the Magnesium and Oxygen lab showed us that by calculating the moles for Oxygen and Magnesium, we were able to determine the ratio and use that method for other labs*. We now know that by being given the mass of an element(used) we are able to get the "moles" and find the ratio the element makes with others.
2Mg + O2 → 2MgO2

Finally, the Zinc and Iodine lab showed us the the copper wire lab is relevant because it demonstrates that if we were given the right(approximate) mass of the silver nitrate, we would be able to figure out the ratio between silver nitrate before, and copper nitrate after.
 2Zn + I2 → 2ZnI

 
 

Investigation Plan (Part 2)

 What reactions do the copper and silver nitrate reaction remind you of?
The Aluminum and Blue stuff lab reminds me of the copper and silver nitrate lab because both were very similar in terms of color change(tests) and chemical formulas. The  Aluminum and Blue stuff lad started off with a light blue colored liquid. Where as the original copper wire lab ended with the light blue liquid. This was the same with the other beginning and ending colors. For the Aluminum lab there was a red spongy residue that was left over from the reaction. This is similar to the original copper wire lab because there was also a whitish-silver residue left over. I clearly saw that for the original copper wire lab, the only elements that were in the reaction were Silver Nitrate and Copper. The water in this lab was just used to dissolve the silver nitrate evenly around the test tube so that the copper could react. I later discovered that the whitish-gray chunks that were left behind from the reaction were silver particles. The reason I said this is because the chunks were not attached to the copper and were completely separate. I also justified this by referring back to the aluminum and blue stuff lab. For this lab, I found out that the chemical equation was 3CuCl+Al → AlCl3+Cu. At the beginning of this lab, aluminum was by itself and copper was with chlorine due to the fact that copper CANNOT dissolve in water. I later tested to see if copper was separated by getting the residue that was left over and burning it. It gave off a green flame when lit and that proved that it was copper due to the prior information we had. Copper was separate just like the silver in the copper wire lab. The copper wire lab consisted of Silver Nitrate, and Copper. Gathering up all the information, there was a possibility of two possible chemical balanced equations. AgNO3+Cu → CuNO3+Ag was one of the balanced chemical equations I focused on and used to refer back to other previous labs prior to this situation. The silver(Ag) in the copper wire lab is similar to the Copper(Cu) in the aluminum and blue stuff lab because they both were bonded with another element before and after were separated, causing a single replacement for both experiments.

Write a balanced chemical equation(s) for the copper and silver nitrate reaction?

AgNO3+Cu → CuNO3+Ag

At the beginning of the experiment, the Silver and the Nitrate were together and Copper was separated after. Then, the silver became separated and the Nitrate bonded with the copper.

         How might you experimentally confirm your chemical equation in b?

The observations and measurements regarding this chemical equation helped me confirm that this is one of  the two possible balanced chemical equations. Based on the previous tests i did with the Aluminum and Blue stuff lab and looking at the different similarities between both reactions, I figured out that silver and nitrate can clearly relate to the other elements used in the different labs (e.g. Aluminum and blue stuff). For example, both chemical equations consisted of a single replacement and once having and equation from one lab(Aluminum and blue stuff) I could figure out the other by looking back at the origins of the lab(what was being used to cause the reaction). In the water investigation lab, the battery charged the copper wires and caused the H2O molecules to separate. This is nearly the same with the Silver Nitrate and copper lab. The Silver Nitrate served as the battery and became separate- causing new bonds.

How does your answer to C help you confirm the chemical equation in b?

        Due to the information that was in the lab packets prior to the reactions, I justified my reasoning based on those facts. For example, when I ran tests to see if copper was present in the red spongy stuff for the Aluminum and Blue stuff lab, I lit it on fire(as part of the process) and waited for it to turn green. Information regarding this test specifically told me that there would be green flames and would prove that the red sponge is copper. This was similarly the same with the chlorine. Tests were proven based on specific facts that corresponded to the tests after effects.



e.   

Zinc and Iodine lab

This lab consisted of looking at our measurements and observing/characterizing the reaction. We will use a certain amount of Zinc and Iodine(2g) to count the number of atoms used during the reaction(& vice versa).
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Looking back at the observations and the after effects of the Zinc and Iodine lab, I concluded that the Zinc and Iodine had a ratio of 2 and one- 2 Iodine/ 1 Zinc. The ratio  in the Magnesium and Oxide lab itself  justifies our reasoning behind this ratio. When  we apply the tests we did with the Magnesium and oxide lab regarding the calculations, we found out that there was indeed a 2 and 1 ratio-as well. In addition, looking back at the Magnesium and Oxygen lab, the chemical equation are very similar in terms of structure.
First, the ratios are very similar in the amount of bonds each element. For instance, in the magnesium and oxygen lab, oxygen, is a diatomic element- it can not be by itself (would always have a subscript of 2). This relates to the Zinc and Iodine lab because Iodine is also a diatomic metal- giving it  [nearly]the same purposes as oxygen. Zinc and Magnesium are both metals, showing their relevance with both experiments.The process we took to find the ratio between Magnesium and Oxygen was finding the amount of moles for each,  in order to find the ratio of atoms. The stoichiometry process we did in the Magnesium and Oxygen lab lead to us using the same strategy with the Zinc and Iodine lab. Applying the same process, which was getting the mass of Zinc Iodine equal to 1 mole over the molar mass of zinc, and using it for he rest of the experiment, helped me calculate the ratio for Zinc and iodine during the lab.
Furthermore, both chemical equations consisted with the same structure before and after. For example, the chemical equation for the magnesium and oxide lab is 2Mg+O2 → 2MgO. This is very similar to the Zinc and Iodine lab in terms of the form. The zinc and iodine lab equation is I2+2Zn → 2ZnI. Both oxygen and Iodine are Diatomic elements, so they are both present in the equation. Magnesium and zinc are both metals, and are both as well, present in the chemical equations. This demonstrates that the different aspects of the Zinc and Iodine lab, are clearly shown in the magnesium lab and overall relate to the pipe corrosion in San Francisco (Original copper pipe lab).
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Overall, these two labs are relevant to the original copper wire lab because it shows us that if we were given the right mass of the silver nitrate, we would be able to figure out the ratio between silver nitrate before and copper nitrate after.

Magnesium and Oxide Lab

For this lab, we used a crucible to burn magnesium and made a compound with Oxygen. The objective was to show how many magnesium atoms bonded with oxygen atoms based on measurements and calculations.
We needed to find the ratio between magnesium and oxygen. In order to do this, we set a ratio of Moles (O2)/ Moles(Mg).
> A mole is a unit of measurement where we are given the rough estimate of the number of atoms in an element- 1.00 mole = 6.02 x 10^23
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After burning a piece of magnesium in a crucible, it was clear that oxygen (O2) and Magnesium(Mg) were both present during the process and clearly bonded together to form one compound (2Mg + O2 → 2MgO2.) Overall, we concluded that one atom of magnesium and one atom of oxygen were combined to make magnesium oxide. We first saw that oxygen was added to the magnesium because weight increased due to the fire. Oxygen, which is a crucial component for fire, was added to the crucible and increased its mass by .2 grams. There was a variety of choices we were given regarding the possible compounds oxygen and magnesium could have made. 
Due to the calculations prior to the ratios, we saw that the ratio was relatively close to the ratio of MgO2. Which only had 1 atom for each element (a 1:1 ratio). For every possible compound we were given n the packet, we set up a whole ratio for those particular elements by dividing oxygen moles over magnesium moles. The chemical formula- MgO2 -was the only ratio closest to  the ones already given. This allowed us to  give a fair and reasonable conclusion regarding how many oxygen atoms bonded with magnesium atoms based with our calculations and measurements.
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Overall, by calculating the moles for oxygen and magnisium, we were able to determine the ratio and use that method for other labs. We now know that by being given the mass of an element(used) we are able to get the "moles" and find the ratio that element makes with others.

Aluminum and Blue stuff Investigation

The objective of this lab was to justify our reasoning behind what we think caused this reaction. We needed to explain what happened with the piece of aluminum foil when we dropped it into the "Blue Solution" by creating possible questions and experimenting to get the answers.

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During the Aluminum and “blue stuff” lab, I noticed many changes in my data and  overall results that consisted with different origins, specifically, elements, bonds, and reactions. I concluded that chlorine and copper appeared in the “blue stuff” but when the blue stuff turned white- outcome -they separated.When we first started this lab, we had copper and chlorine in the blue liquid (mostly copper atoms) and we had the aluminum separate. After we had copper separate(re spongy stuff) and the aluminum bonded with the chlorine. Giving a balanced equation:

3CuCl+Al → AlCl3+Cu

Due to the Aluminum being present, the chlorine later combined with the aluminum. During a specific test, i asked whether there was something bonded to the solution with the blue liquid. The test concluded that chlorine atoms had to combine with the copper in order for the blue stuff to appear since copper cannot dissolve by itself. What proved my answer was a packet prior to this test that clearly stated this fact. So copper and chlorine appeared before. But after , the copper when straight to the residue which was the red sponge. I did another test that consisted of burning that red sponge stuff. Green flames were produced when lit and i came to a conclusion that, that was only copper. This again was prior to a packet that accommodated the after effect if the red sponge was lit on fire. Thus, leaving only the Aluminum and Chlorine left in the clear/transparent liquid(after). 

Water Investigation- Battery-Wire Lab

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- Water Investigation -

This lab consisted of plugging in a charged battery with two wires- one red, one black -and charging them to two beakers with water molecules inside. Once we connected the battery to the wires, we immediately saw a reaction.

> This lab relates to the copper pipe corrosion problem in San Francisco by having the battery (In the water investigation lab) serve as the copper in the original lab. The copper separated the silver nitrate to two different atoms, causing the after effects to occur- similar to the water investigation with the battery separating the water molecules to sets of hydrogen's and oxygen's.
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Based on the water investigation experiment, I can conclude that water molecules (H2O) did not come from the battery itself, even though it was the battery that caused the reaction. The water molecules that were initially in the beaker before the battery gave off its charge. After, the water molecules separated and went to one of the two tubes. It is clear that the battery did not give off any water molecules during the experiment because there were never any water molecules before. The battery only gave off its charge which caused the water molecules in the beaker to separate. Thus, creating a reaction to both of the individual tubes. Both tubes- one with a red wire and one with a black wire -resulted with different observations. The red wired tube attracted a lot of bubbles which eventually concealed most of the wire. The black wire showed a lot of bubbles but they were leaving the black wire and were heading to the top of the tube. With these observations, the gas splint tests made me make predictions in which i needed to find what gas was in each tube. When i put the lit splint over each tube they both gave different results. The red wire tube got a bit brighter and then it became immediately extinguished. The black wire tube gave off a “pop” noise. With these reactions, i concluded that Oxygen was in the red tube wire and Hydrogen was in the black tube wire. My evidence here clearly shows that my claim is valid because I had information prior to the packet we were given regarding the after effects with oxygen and hydrogen. The final results for each tube matched the descriptions on the packet. When the tube gives off a pop sound, hydrogen was present due to it being an explosive gas. Oxygen increases any flame due to it being one of the initial elements for a fire. This demonstrates that hydrogen and oxygen were initially together (water molecule) but were separated after the battery was plugged into the wires. This caused the oxygen's to go in one side(tube) and the hydrogen's to go in the other. Giving off the effects we observed.