The
Science Notebook
Lionel Chem-Lab
- Chapter 16
NOTE: This book was published in 1942 as a manual to
accompany several Lionel Chemistry sets of the time. While
some of the experiments and activities here may be safely
done as written, a number of them use chemicals and methods no
longer considered safe. In addition, much of the
information contained in this book about chemistry and other
subjects is outdated and some of it is inaccurate.
Therefore, this book is probably best appreciated for its
historical value rather than as a source for current information
and good experiments. If you try
anything here, please understand that you do so at your
own risk. See our Terms of Use.
Pages 190 - 197
OK, there is a bit of a mystery
here...
The book from which
these pages was reproduced jumped from Chapter 15 to Chapter 17,
and omitted Chapter 16. However, the Table of Contents lists "The
Copper Group" as a separate chapter, "The Copper Group" which is
material actually included at the end of Chapter 15 as printed, is
presumably the material that was supposed to be the missing
Chapter 16. The Science Notebook staff has
noted, however, that many of the science set manuals of days gone
by seemed to leave out pages or chapters, depending on which set
the manual was supposed to accompany, and in some cases, you can
see where some experiments were dropped from later manuals or
manuals intended for use with smaller sets.
So who knows why there is a gap here, but anyway, we have
chosen to call this...
CHAPTER XVI
THE COPPER GROUP
COPPER
Copper and its alloys are man’s useful metals.
Most of the modern inventions, that have made this the greatest
age of all time, would not have been possible had it not been for
copper and its many alloys. The discovery of copper, thousands of
years ago, and the use of these metals through the
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CHEM-LAB 191
flight of centuries is a most interesting story
of man’s progress and achievement.
EXPERIMENT No. 454 Preparation Of Copper Oxide
(CL-33, CL-44, CL-55, GL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Copper metal, test tube, candle or alcohol lamp.
PROCEDURE:
Place one measure of copper metal in a dry test tube. Heat slowly
until the metal becomes red hot. Cool and examine contents. Heat and
air have oxidized the copper metal to black copper oxide.
EXPERIMENT No. 455 Copper Hydroxide
(CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, copper sulfate, alcohol lamp or
candle, test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Prepare some sodium hydroxide solution as explained in Experiment
No. 344. Dissolve two measures of copper sulfate in another test
tube half full of water. Pour into this a few drops of sodium
hydroxide solution and note the blue precipitate of copper
hydroxide.
EXPERIMENT No. 456 Reducing Copper
(CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Copper sulfate, charcoal block, blowpipe and lamp.
PROCEDURE:
Place a half measure of copper sulfate on the charcoal block and add
two drops of water. Direct the reducing flame at the copper sulfate
by means of your blowpipe. Allow the material to cool. [Carefully
remove from charcoal block and place on a sheet of paper. Crush the
material with the stirring rod (use mortar and pestle, if
available).
SUMMARY:
Copper sulfate when heated in the reducing flame forms cuprous
sulfate, a white solid material.
EXPERIMENT No. 457 Detecting Copper In Brass
(CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
A small piece of brass, test tube holder, eye-dropper and alcohol
lamp.
PROCEDURE:
Hold a piece of brass in the top portion of the flame. (Use test
tube holder). Heat until the metal is red hot. Note the green color
of the flame. Remove brass from flame and place a few drops of water
on it. Note the formation of a dark coating.
SUMMARY:
The green flame is characteristic of copper, proving that brass
contains copper. Additional proof is that the brass becomes coated
with black copper oxide. The water aids in the process of oxidation.
192 IRON
AND STEEL
EXPERIMENT No. 458 Copper In A Penny
(CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Copper penny, test tube holder, gas flame and an eye dropper.
PROCEDURE:
Hold a bright copper penny over a gas flame until it becomes red
hot. (Use your test tube holder). Note the colors in the flame.
Remove penny from flame and place one or two drops of water on it.
Note the black copper oxide which indicates that the coin contains
copper.
EXPERIMENT No. 459 Detecting Copper In A Nickel
(CL-55. CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel coin, test tube holder, gas flame and eye dropper.
PROCEDURE:
Heat a nickel coin over a gas flame until red hot. (Use test tube
holder). Remove from flame and drop a few drops of water on it. Note
the black formation of copper oxide which indicates that the nickel
coin contains copper.
EXPERIMENT No. 460 Copper Present In A Silver
Coin
(CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Silver coin, gas flame, eye dropper, test tube holder.
PROCEDURE:
Heat a silver coin red hot in the gas flame test tube holder. Remove
coin from flame and place one or two drops of water on it. Note the
black coating indicating the presence of copper.
EXPERIMENT No. 461 Copper Plating By Displacement
(CL-55, CL-66. CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Copper sulfate, small piece of steel, alcohol lamp or candle, test
tube.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve two measures of copper sulfate in a test tube half full of
water. If necessary, warm solution over flame. Drop the steel piece
into the test tube and note the red coating which forms. Remove
steel and rinse well.
SUMMARY:
Copper is less active than iron. Therefore, iron displaces the
copper from the sulfate solution.
EXPERIMENT No. 462 How To Oxidize Copper
(CL-11, CL-22, CL-33, CL-44, CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Potassium nitrate, test tube, candle or alcohol lamp, piece of
copper wire.
PROCEDURE:
Place three measures of potassium nitrate and a small piece of
copper in the test tube. Heat until the crystals melt. Cool test
tube. Take wire out and note its color.
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CHEM-LAB 193
SUMMARY:
The red copper has been attacked by free oxygen liberated from the
potassium nitrate. The black substance, therefore, is copper oxide.
NICKEL
One of the characteristics of nickel is that
it does not readily oxidize in the air, and for this reason is
very useful as a plated finish to protect other metals. The
principal alloys of nickel are Monel
metal and nichrome.
EXPERIMENT No. 463 How To Make Nickel Oxide
(CL-11, CL-22, CL-33, CL-44, CL-55, CL-66. CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Potassium nitrate, test tube, candle or alcohol lamp, nickel wire.
PROCEDURE:
Place three measures of potassium nitrate into a test tube and heat
until the crystals begin to melt. Drop the nickel wire into the test
tube, Note the oxidation. The residue is nickel oxide.
EXPERIMENT No. 464 Preparation Of Nickel
Hydroxide
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve one measure of sodium carbonate in a test tube one half
full of water. Dissolve one measure of calcium oxide. in another
test tube half full of water. Pour the calcium oxide solution into
the sodium carbonate and shake thoroughly. Decant the solution into
a clean test tube. Dissolve one measure of nickel chloride in
another test tube half full of water. Add some of the clear solution
to the nickel chloride solution.
SUMMARY:
In the first reaction, sodium carbonate reacts with calcium oxide to
form sodium hydroxide (clear solution). This, in turn, reacts with
nickel chloride to form the green precipitate, nickel
hydroxide.
EXPERIMENT No. 465 Nickel Carbonate
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, sodium carbonate and two test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve two measures of sodium carbonate in a test tube half full
of water. Dissolve one measure of nickel chloride in another test
tube half full of water. Pour in a few drops of the sodium carbonate
solution and note the formation of a thick bright green precipitate
of nickel carbonate.
EXPERIMENT No. 466 Nickel Tannate
(CL-66, CL-77)
Repeat Experiment No. 465 substituting tannic acid for sodium car-
194 IRON
AND STEEL
bonate. The light brown precipitate will be nickel tannate.
EXPERIMENT No. 467 How To Make Nickel Sulfide
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, sodium carbonate, paraffin, sulfur, test tube,
delivery tube, stopper, candle or alcohol lamp.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve one half measure of nickel chloride in a test tube half
full of warm water. Add one half measure of sodium carbonate and
note the color of the resulting precipitate. Put a small, piece of
paraffin and five measures of sulfur in a second test tube. Insert
the stopper and delivery tube so that the long stem runs into the
test tube containing the nickel carbonate. Heat the other test tube.
Note any changes in color in the test tube collecting the gas.
SUMMARY:
Sodium carbonate reacts with nickel chloride to form a green
precipitate of nickel carbonate. This precipitate reacts with
hydrogen sulfide to form a black precipitate of nickel sulfide.
EXPERIMENT No. 468 How To Make Nickel
Ferrocyanide
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, sodium ferrocyanide and test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve two measures of sodium ferrocyanide in a test tube half
full of water. Dissolve one measure of nickel chloride in a test
tube half full of water. Pour in a few drops of the sodium
ferrocyanide solution and note the light green precipitate of nickel
ferrocyanide.
EXPERIMENT No. 469. Testing Nickel Compounds
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nichrome wire, sodium borate, alcohol lamp, nickel chloride.
PROCEDURE:
Make a small loop in the end of your nichrome wire and moisten it
with water. Place two measures of sodium borate on a clean sheet of
paper. Dip the wet wire into the sodium borate, then heat the
chemical over a flame. Place one half measure of nickel chloride on
a sheet of paper. Dip the hot wire containing the borate into the
nickel chloride. Reheat using the blowpipe if necessary. Remove wire
from flame and note that nickel forms a brown colored borate bead.
EXPERIMENT No. 470 Nickel Phosphate In Acids
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, trisodium phosphate, hydrochloric acid, test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve one measure of trisodium phosphate in a test tube half full
of water. Dissolve a half measure of nickel chloride in another test
tube containing one inch of water. Pour the nickel
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CHEM-LAB 195
chloride solution into the trisodium phosphate. Note the precipitate
of nickel phosphate. Add four drops of hydrochloric acid and note
that the precipitate dissolves.
EXPERIMENT No. 471 Preparation Of Nickel
Phosphate
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, trisodium phosphate and test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve one measure of nickel chloride in a test tube half full of
Water. Dissolve one measure of trisodium phosphate in another test
tube half full of water. Add some trisodium phosphate to the nickel
chloride and note that a thick green precipitate forms.
EXPERIMENT No. 472 Preparation Of Nickel Borate
(GL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, sodium borate and test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve two measures of nickel chloride in a test tube half full of
water. Dissolve one measure of sodium borate in another test tube
half full of water. Add the sodium borate solution to the nickel
chloride. The thick green precipitate is nickel borate.
EXPERIMENT No. 473 Nickel Tungstate
(CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, test tube, sodium tungstate.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve one measure of nickel chloride in a test tube one quarter
full of water. Dissolve one measure of sodium tungstate in another
test tube one quarter full of water. Add a few drops of this
solution to the nickel chloride to form a pale green precipitate of
nickel tungstate.
EXPERIMENT No. 474 Nickel Phosphate In Ammonia
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, trisodium phosphate, ammonium chloride, test tubes.
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve one measure of trisodium phosphate in a test tube half full
of water. Dissolve one half measure of nickel chloride in another
test tube one quarter full of water. Add six drops of trisodium
phosphate to the nickel chloride solution. Note the thick green
precipitate formed. Dissolve one measure of ammonium chloride in
another test tube half full of water. Add the ammonium chloride to
the precipitate and note that the precipitate dissolves.
EXPERIMENT No. 475 Testing The Solubility Of
Nickel
(CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Nickel chloride, test tube, candle or alcohol lamp.
196 IRON
AND STEEL
PROCEDURE:
Dissolve six measures of nickel chloride in a test tube one quarter
full of water. Shake vigorously holding your thumb over the mouth of
the test tube and note whether the solid dissolves entirely. Heat
carefully for a short while and again note whether the chemical has
dissolved. Solubility of certain solids increases with an increase
in temperature.
COBALT
Cobalt and nickel are usually found together
in the same ore. Both metals are silvery-white and are used
principally in making alloys. Cobalt and chromium, for example,
when alloyed together are used in cutlery and machine tools.
Cobalt chloride, supplied in Lionel Chem-Lab, is used in making
sympathetic ink, barometers, paint used on glass and porcelain, as
an absorbent for poison gas, and ammonia.
EXPERIMENT No. 476 Cobalt Hydroxide
(CL-83, CL-44, CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Cobalt chloride, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, test tube, alcohol
lamp or candle.
PROCEDURE:
Prepare sodium hydroxide solution as explained in Experiment No.
344. Dissolve two measures of cobalt chloride in a test tube half
full of water. Pour into this a few drops of the sodium hydroxide
solution and note that the blue precipitate which forms and later
changes to red. The blue precipitate is cobalt hydroxide.
EXPERIMENT No. 477 Efflorescent Cobalt Chloride
(CL-33, CL-44, CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Cobalt chloride, heating spoon, candle or alcohol lamp, stirring
rod.
PROCEDURE:
Place two measures of cobalt chloride in the heating spoon. Note the
normal color of the material. Heat gently until it becomes blue. Add
a drop of water and again note color.
SUMMARY:
Cobalt chloride when heated, dehydrates and turns blue. Adding a
drop of water causes the original pinkish color to return. Thus the
water of crystallization has been taken up again.
EXPERIMENT No. 478 Converting Cobaltous Hydroxide
(CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Cobalt chloride, ammonium hydroxide, test tube and alcohol
lamp.
PROCEDURE:
Place one measure of cobalt chloride in a test tube half full of
water. Add four drops of ammonium hydroxide. Note the blue
precipitate. Heat the precipitate and note the color of the
precipitate formed. The blue cobaltous hydroxide was converted by
heat to brown-black cobaltic hydroxide.
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CHEM-LAB 197
EXPERIMENT No. 479 Cobalt Color Reactions
(CL-44, CL-55, CL-66, CL-77)
APPARATUS:
Sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, cobalt chloride, filter paper,
funnel and test tubes.
PROCEDURE: Dissolve one measure of sodium carbonate in a test tube
half full of water. Dissolve one half measure of calcium oxide in
another test tube one quarter full of water. Mix the two solutions
and filter into a clean test tube. Place one measure of cobalt
chloride in another test tube half full of water. Add some filtrate
to this solution. Note the color transformations which are produced
by the reaction of cobalt chloride with sodium hydroxide.
"The Science Notebook"
Copyright 2008-2018 - Norman Young