Identifying Unknown Substance. Examining the physical characteristics of the available compounds in the lab was how possible compounds were eliminated from any or further testing. Based on how the compounds physically looked, it was almost for certain that calcium chloride was the unknown compound. However, another compound was used to test as well (ammonium chloride) since relying only on physical characteristics alone would not allow for proper experimentation. The unknown ended up being calcium chloride, however, until the pH test, ammonium chloride was still a possibility because the ammonium chloride could have been ground up. Table 1 shows this, as well as the disparity of the pH values of the compounds. Chemical
Physical Characteristics
Physical Characteristics