Acids Your name………………………………………............................

Names of your group …………………………………....................................................

Investigation
What are some common properties of acids? Can these properties be used as tests for acids?
Equipment and chemicals - these are what you need when the time comes. See 4, 5 & 6 below.
 Collect the following apparatus and take to your work-place.
 Label the test tubes for each one of the chemicals.
 Take the test tube rack with the test tubes and collect a little of each of the chemicals by
pouring it into a test tube, to take to your work-place. When you need more, take the test
tube back and collect more. Be careful not to mix chemicals.

Equipment Chemicals
Test tube rack Acids Testing reagents
10 test tubes Nitric acid Magnesium strip
5 pipettes Vinegar Blue litmus paper
Hydrochloric acid Red litmus paper
Lemon juice Sodium bicarbonate
Sulphuric acid Aluminium strip

Eye protection should be worn.

Aim
Try to find out whether all acids have some properties in common.

Method
1. SAFETY: Wear goggles; tie hair back; clear books and non-essential items away from the benches
and work areas.
2. PLANNING: Read this work sheet carefully and decide what each person in the group is going to
do.
3. RESULTS TABLE: Prepare one results table for the group. Think about how many chemicals you
are testing and how many different tests, then decide the columns and rows you will need in the
results table. This results table is your working results table. Later each member of the group will
make a good copy of the results.
4. PREPARATION: Collect the pipettes, test tube rack and test tubes, and take them to your work-
place.
5. Label 5 test tubes N, V, H, L & S and collect a sample of each of the 5 acids in one test tube, and
take to your work-place.
6. Collect a sample of each of the testing reagents, and take to your work-place.
7. THE INVESTIGATION: Test each of the acids in a methodical way, using the following steps:
a. Testing with magnesium and aluminium: cut a small (1 cm long) strip of the metal, place
it in a clean, dry test tube, and add enough drops of the acid to cover the metal.
b. Testing with blue and red litmus paper: place a small piece (1 cm long) of the litmus
paper in a well in the white tile and pipette 2 drops of acid over the paper.
c. Testing with sodium bicarbonate: use a clean pipette to put 5 drops of the sodium
bicarbonate into a test tube and then use another clean pipette to add 5 drops of the acid.

Your results (observations)

1. Use the results table to write down your observations, in as much detail as you think necessary, for
each of the tests you do.
Year 8 2018-2019: Properties of Acids