PERFORMANCE ASSIGNMENT                                 Lab One

Observing the Combustion Reaction

Within a Candle

 

Observing chemical and physical changes of the interaction in matter are the vary basis of science from with theories can be derived.  Chemical changes are those that result in the structure of matter, how and what it is that makes up compounds.  Physical changes are those that result in the way it looks or phase in which it exists.  For this reaction, you will be able to detect some change with you unaided senses, the sense of touch, sight or smell, other changes can only be detected with special laboratory equipment.  Generally, information gained by the unaided senses is called qualitative data since it speaks to the qualities of the observation.  Information that requires equipment to measure is known as quantitative data as it defines the exact amounts. 

 

Objectives:

 

1.     Learn to follow laboratory instructions.

2.     Learn to make note of, and classify two types of change.

3.     Identify and use appropriate pieces of equipment to make observations.

4.     Use appropriate SI units for and observations made.

 

Procedure:

 

1.     Examine all the equipment you have available for this exercise, in chart form give the name of the piece, type of data it collects and the most appropriate units that it would measure.

2.     For steps 3 through 5 use “A to Z”, you may have more than one observation for each letter.

3.     Examine a candle and make as many qualitative and quantitative observations as possible.

4.     Light the candle and add any new observations made over five minutes.

5.     Extinguish the candle and add any observations.

 

 

Synthesis:

 

1.     Make a final chart to classify each observation as to the type of change it describes.