Lab Report

Metal or Nonmetal

Abstract: In this lab, our group explored several properties of seven unknown elements, and we decided whether each element is a metal, nonmental, or metalloid. We did this by examine color, luster, and for of each element. We also attempted to crush each sample, tested its electrical conductivity, and the reactivity of each element with two solutions: hydrochloric acid, and copper chloride  Our group worked very well together, we assigned each person jobs to do, we all got a long really well, and we had fun doing the lab. The diversity of the class results were surprising to most of us because we thought that it wouldn't be hard to identify each element, but the similarity between a metalloid and a metal or nonmetal made it hard to classify the elements.

Procedure: 

all of the unknown elements

1. Construct a data table

beautiful chart by my colleague Ricardo

2. Observe and record the appearance of each element, including physical properties such as color, luster, and form.

3. Choose the first unknown element and test it for electrical conductivity.

testing the second element for electrical conductivity

testing the fourth element for electrical conductivity

4. Tap each element with a ring stand and decide whether the sample is malleable or brittle.

tapping the first element with the ring stand (malleable)

5. Place a sample of each element into a  well in to a different well and add 20 drops of copper chloride, and observe if the element reacted with copper chloride.

Element A reacting and turning dark brown in copper chloride

6. Place a sample of each element into a well and place 20 drops of M HCl to each well, and record what happens.

 

element G reacting and bubbling in M HCl

Results: 

Our group's results for this lab. Elements A,C, and G both reacted with the copper chloride and M HCl acid. Unknown elements B,C, D, and F were electrically conductive. A,B, C, and F were malleable.

This is a chart made by Abby showing how diverse each groups conclusions were. The reason for this variance is that each group observed differently from another, they could have made mistakes in the procedure, and their conclusion based on their data are different because a metalloid is in between a metal and a non-metal. It is easy to call a metal a metalloid when it is actually a metal because of the similarity and same with a non-metal and metalloid.