Mystery Property 1
Water has a melting point of 0 degrees Celsius. At a room temperature of 20 degrees Celcuis, water is found in this state of matter.
What is a liquid?
Sodium chloride is the scientific name for this common kitchen item.
What is table salt?
The ingredient with the highest melting point on the entire data table.
Answer: What is Epsom salt (1124oC)?
The property describing whether a gas can catch fire and burn in the presence of oxygen.
What is flammability?
Air has a standard density of about $1.2\text{ g/L}$. If a gas has a density less than air, state whether it will rise/float or sink in a room.
What is rise (or float)?
Epsom salt melts at 1124 degrees Celsius. At a room temperature of 20 degrees Celcius, Epsom salt is in this state of matter.
What is a solid?
An unknown powder has a melting point between 256o C and 258o C. According to the table, the powder is this.
What is corn starch (Amylum)?
The chemical/scientific name for table salt listed in the table.
Answer: What is sodium chloride?
Looking at a gas table, Oxygen is marked as non-flammable, but it supports combustion. Name ONE gas on the table that is explicitly classified as flammable.
What is Hydrogen (or Methane / Propane)?
Helium has a density of 0.18 g/L while Carbon Dioxide has a density of 1.98 g/L. Identify which gas is denser than air 1.2g/L.
What is Carbon Dioxide?
Looking at the data table, these TWO oils are liquids at a warm room temperature of 26 degrees C, but ONE of them turns into a solid if room temperature drops to 20 degrees C.
What is olive oil?
You have two white powders: Sugar and Citric Acid. You heat both up to 155oC. You can identify Citric Acid because it will do this while the sugar remains solid.
What is melt (Citric acid melts at 153, sugar melts at 160)
Compare the melting points of table salt 801oC and baking soda 50oC. Based on this data, state which substance requires significantly more heat energy to turn into a liquid.
What is table salt?
An unknown gas sample catches fire when exposed to a spark and floats above air. Using a gas properties table, identify this gas by eliminating Carbon Dioxide (non-flammable) and Propane (denser than air).
What is Methane (or Hydrogen)?
An invisible gas leaks from a container and settles along the floor rather than rising to the ceiling. Based on density data, state whether the gas is Helium (0.18g/L) or Propane (1.88g/L).
What is Propane (because it is denser than air)?
If a mystery substance has a melting point of 10o C, predict its state of matter inside a freezer set to 15o C versus sitting on a classroom counter at 22o C.
What is a solid in the freezer and a liquid on the counter?
A student claims a white powder is baking soda, but when heated to 100oC, it does not melt. Using the table, explain why this claim is false.
What is baking soda's melting point is 50o C, so it should have melted before reaching 100o C
Identify the two ingredients in the table that melt at temperatures lower than water 0oC.
What is olive oil
A flame is lowered into a container filled with Carbon Dioxide gas and immediately goes out. Explain what this proves about Carbon Dioxide's flammability and why it is useful in fire extinguishers.
What is Carbon Dioxide is non-flammable and displaces oxygen needed for burning?
A balloon filled with Gas A floats to the ceiling, while a balloon filled with Gas B falls to the floor. Predict which gas is Neon and which is Argon based on their densities relative to air.
What is Gas A is Neon(less dense than air) and Gas B is Argon (denser than air)?
Explain why baking soda (50o C melting point) and sugar (160o C melting point) are both solids at room temperature (20o C ), even though their melting points are 110o C apart.
What is because both melting points are higher than room temperature?
You have an unknown sample that is liquid at 0oC and stays liquid up to 100oC. Based on melting points in the table, eliminate all solid ingredients and identify which single pure liquid substance it could be.
What is olive oil (or Oleic acid)? (Water turns to gas/boils, but olive oil melts at -6oC and remains liquid).
The table lists "Sugary powder lemonade mix" and "Sugar-free lemonade mix" with dashes for melting points. Explain why these mixtures do not have a single exact melting point listed like pure substances do.
What is because they are mixtures of multiple ingredients rather than a single pure substance?
Design a safe flame-test procedure to determine whether a gas trapped in a test tube is Oxygen, Hydrogen, or Carbon Dioxide.
What is insert a glowing splint: if it relights, it's Oxygen; if it makes a "pop" sound/ignites, it's Hydrogen; if it goes out completely, it's Carbon Dioxide?
Methane (natural gas) is flammable and less dense than air. Propane is flammable and denser than air. Design a safety rule for where to place gas detectors in a home for each gas type.
What is place Methane detectors near the ceiling (since it rises) and Propane detectors near the floor (since it sinks)?