Notes on activities for teachers/

technicians for Chapter 9

Activity 9.1
Preventing rust
In this experiment, iron nails are protected from rusting using a variety of methods, including painting,
greasing and sacrificial protection. The nails are placed in test tubes and covered with corrosion indicator
solution. This contains gelatine and so sets to a jelly-like consistency. The indicator changes colour from
yellow to blue to show where rusting is taking place. By comparing the amount and position of the blue
indicator on each nail, the effectiveness of the different types of protection can be assessed.
Apparatus and chemicals
test tubes, at least six test-tube rack
iron nails, at least six two galvanised (zinc-coated) nails
stainless steel nail, screw or bolt corrosion indicator solution
cleaning solution: dilute hydrochloric acid containing gelatine and potassium
(1 mol/dm3), about 10 cm3 hexacyanoferrate(iii)
magnesium ribbon, about 2 cm paint and small brush, or correcting fluid
copper foil, small piece zinc foil, small piece
oil petroleum jelly
marker pen or labels for test tubes clingfilm or similar plastic film

Hazards
H dilute hydrochloric acid solution (for cleaning)
F magnesium ribbon
Safety
Wear eye protection.
Practical points
Cheap soda-glass test tubes can be used so that stained ones can be discarded after use.
The nails for this experiment will ideally be identical and should be iron rather than stainless steel.
Galvanised nails are also needed; these can be re-used.
Prepare the corrosion indicator shortly before the lesson it does not keep well. Make a warm solution
of 5 g gelatine in 100 cm3 water and then dissolve 0.2 g potassium hexacyanoferrate(iii) in it. Keep the
solution warm but not hot, otherwise toxic gases can be evolved. If you have access to one, a magnetic
stirrer with hotplate is ideal for this but it is not essential. No hazard label is required for the solution.
The paint must not be water soluble and should ideally dry quickly. Acrylic paint or correcting fluid
(e.g. Tipp-Ex) is ideal.
Any oil which is safe for pupils is suitable. Cooking oil is probably the easiest to use.

Results and conclusions

This can be set up as either a demonstration or a class practical. After about half an hour it will be possible
to see the indicator changing from the starting yellow colour to dark blue in patches on the nails. These dark
blue patches indicate areas where rusting is starting.

Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Notes on activities for teachers/technicians: Chapter 9 1
 Typically, the magnesium-wrapped nail will rust the least. The magnesium corrodes instead of the iron,
sacrificing itself. This is called sacrificial protection, and it is used commercially to protect iron structures in
corrosive environments.
The nail wrapped in copper will rust the most. This is due to the opposite process. The more reactive
metal, iron, donates electrons to the copper and becomes electron deficient itself. This increases the rate of
the rusting.
The other nails will rust in a variable way, depending on how effectively they have been coated. Alloying
is also an effective method of rust prevention and chips and scratches in the surface are generally not
important. As a result, the stainless steel nail will generally not rust much, if at all.
Students could be asked to tabulate the results of the experiment. They could also think about where each
method of rust prevention is used in real life, why that method is chosen and how effective it is.

Answers to questions
A1 air (or oxygen), water and an iron (or steel) object
A2 warm or hot temperatures, salt in the water, acid rain
A3 corrosion

Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Notes on activities for teachers/technicians: Chapter 9 2
 Activity 9.2
Investigating how air is involved in rusting
This activity involves setting up some iron wool to rust in a test tube inverted in a beaker of water. As the iron
wool reacts and rusts, water is drawn up the tube. This tube is left for a prolonged period, until there is no
further observable change. Observation of what has taken place, and measurement of the decreased volume
of air in the tube, suggests which part of the air has taken part in the rusting.
Apparatus and chemicals
long graduated tube iron wool
beaker (100 cm3) beaker (250 cm3)
iron filings ruler
Safety
Wear eye protection.
Practical points
A larger-scale experiment can be set up in which a layer of iron filings is stuck to the damp inside walls of a
longer graduated tube. This is then left to rust in a similar way. The volume of the column of air is measured
initially and then after rusting has taken place.

Answers to questions
A1 Take measurements but then continue the experiment for a further period of time until no further
change takes place.
A2 Set up parallel experiments using distilled water, seawater (or a salt solution of appropriate
concentration) and/or a dilute sulfuric acid solution of pH around 5.

Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Notes on activities for teachers/technicians: Chapter 9 3
 Activity 9.3
The extraction of copper and the reactivity series
This activity explores the reactivities of copper, hydrogen and carbon. The aim is to see whether copper(ii)
oxide can be reduced to copper by either hydrogen or carbon. The activity uses microscale apparatus.

Which is more reactive copper or hydrogen?

Apparatus and chemicals
ComboPlate microburner
four propettes hydrochloric acid (1 mol dm3)
syringe magnesium ribbon
silicone tubing 2 lengths copper(ii) oxide solid
combustion tube methylated spirits for microburner
lid 1 and lid 2

Hazards
C 1 mol dm3 hydrochloric acid
F magnesium ribbon, methylated spirits for microburner (should fill a little over half of the burner)
Safety
Wear eye protection. When using the microburner, make sure that you do not tilt it more than 45 from the
perpendicular. Beware of suck-back into well F6. If it happens, disconnect the lid from well F6. The acid
should be added very slowly. If it is added too quickly, there will be suck-back and the acid will go into the
hot combustion tube.
Practical points
A 1 cm length of magnesium ribbon will suffice.
The combustion tubes can be cleaned of copper by soaking in 1 : 1 nitric acid.

The extraction of copper from its oxide with carbon

Apparatus and chemicals
ComboPlate fresh limewater
silicone tubing mixture of copper(ii) oxide and
microstand arm carbon solids
ignition tube methylated spirits
microburner microspatula
lid 2 sticky tape

Hazards
F methylated spirits
Safety
Wear eye protection. Care must be taken handling the hot apparatus and the spirit burner.
Practical points
Mix the carbon and copper oxide so that the carbon is in excess.
The reaction can be quite vigorous when it starts and therefore eye protection is essential.
It might take a little while to get going but a lot of heating is necessary.

Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Notes on activities for teachers/technicians: Chapter 9 4
 Answers to questions
A1 methane, CH4
A2 copper(ii) oxide + hydrogen copper + water
CuO + H2 Cu + H2O
or
copper(ii) oxide + methane copper + carbon dioxide + water
4CuO + CH4 4Cu + CO2 + 2H2O

Alternative methods for reducing metal oxides

Activity 9.3 uses microscale methods to reduce copper(ii) oxide to the metal. This has safety advantages,
particular when using hydrogen as the reducing agent, and it enables the experiment to be carried out by
students rather than by teacher demonstration. Activity 8.1 gives a scaled-up version of the reduction with
carbon and there are methods available for the reduction of basic copper carbonate with charcoal on the
Practical Chemistry website http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-chemistry
This same website also gives a procedure for the normal-scale reduction of copper oxide using methane as
the reducing agent. Methane is preferred to hydrogen as a reducing agent on a normal laboratory scale for
safety reasons and the reduction works well.

Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Notes on activities for teachers/technicians: Chapter 9 5
 Activity 9.4
Making a fertiliser
Apparatus and chemicals
dilute sulfuric acid (1 mol/dm3) Bunsen burner and heatproof mat
paper towel evaporating basin
ammonia solution (2 mol/dm3) spatula
two measuring cylinders (10 cm3 and 25 cm3) glass stirring rod
red litmus paper
Hazards
C dilute sulfuric acid
H dilute ammonia solution
Safety
Wear eye protection.

Answers to questions
A1 Ammonium sulfate contains nitrogen. It is soluble in water and so is easily taken up by the roots
of plants.
A2 potassium and phosphorus (remember NPK)

Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Chemistry Notes on activities for teachers/technicians: Chapter 9 6