Following WHMIS, it is vital that safety be a priority when conducting labs. Especially when handling chemicals, the ideal setup of labs should avoid any obstructions and potential hazards that may occur. This is due to the possible dangers: flammable and combustible chemicals (alcohol, sodium), oxidation (hair dye), bio hazardous products (which causes AIDS, rabies), toxic items (lead, benzene), poison (carbon monoxide), corrosive compounds (bleach), dangerously reactive chemicals (fluorine) and compressed gas (propane, CO2). Regarding this experiment, the there is always a possibility for mishaps and the like occurring that range from stains onto clothing to the irritation of the eyes. Chemicals such as copper (II) chloride and lead (II)
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With the knowledge of single displacement reactions, it is common to assume that there will always be a reaction between chemicals that present the opportunity of (metalA) + (metalB + nonmetal) → (metalB + nonmetal) + (metalA). In this lab, this notion will be discarded as the activity series demonstrates the actual nature of single displacement reactions where the metals will only exchange if their activity series levels allow them to do so. To explain, the activity series of metals goes in order of: …show more content…
These anomalies were seen when 2 of the tests were supposed to react but did not, and another test where there was supposed to be no reaction but there was. The two main factors that could have affected the results would be galvanization and oxidation. According to study.com, oxidation is “At its most basic level, oxidation is the loss of electrons. It happens when an atom or compound loses one or more electrons. Some elements lose electrons more easily than others. These elements are said to be easily oxidized. Generally speaking, metals including sodium, magnesium, and iron are easily oxidized”. Also, according to wiseGEEK.com, galvanized steel “[...] is steel that has gone through a chemical process to keep it from corroding. The steel gets coated in layers of zinc oxide because this protective metal does not get rusty as easily”. Comparing the research on oxidation and galvanization with the reactants in the lab, it is probable to conclude that the (aluminum) steel wool may have corroded through oxidation when exposed to oxygen and possibly moisture. The (aluminum) steel wool would have changed into aluminum oxide if this occurred. Then the reaction process would have been negatively affected due to this change. Regarding the iron, galvanization may have occurred as iron is typically an element that reacts well with oxygen. A possible
With the knowledge of single displacement reactions, it is common to assume that there will always be a reaction between chemicals that present the opportunity of (metalA) + (metalB + nonmetal) → (metalB + nonmetal) + (metalA). In this lab, this notion will be discarded as the activity series demonstrates the actual nature of single displacement reactions where the metals will only exchange if their activity series levels allow them to do so. To explain, the activity series of metals goes in order of: …show more content…
These anomalies were seen when 2 of the tests were supposed to react but did not, and another test where there was supposed to be no reaction but there was. The two main factors that could have affected the results would be galvanization and oxidation. According to study.com, oxidation is “At its most basic level, oxidation is the loss of electrons. It happens when an atom or compound loses one or more electrons. Some elements lose electrons more easily than others. These elements are said to be easily oxidized. Generally speaking, metals including sodium, magnesium, and iron are easily oxidized”. Also, according to wiseGEEK.com, galvanized steel “[...] is steel that has gone through a chemical process to keep it from corroding. The steel gets coated in layers of zinc oxide because this protective metal does not get rusty as easily”. Comparing the research on oxidation and galvanization with the reactants in the lab, it is probable to conclude that the (aluminum) steel wool may have corroded through oxidation when exposed to oxygen and possibly moisture. The (aluminum) steel wool would have changed into aluminum oxide if this occurred. Then the reaction process would have been negatively affected due to this change. Regarding the iron, galvanization may have occurred as iron is typically an element that reacts well with oxygen. A possible