Metals and Acids

Aim -To show that hydrogen gas is produced when a metal reacts with acid.

Equipment: 

- A test tube

- A boiling tube

- Bunsen burner

- Wooden splint

- A bottle of acid

- A piece of metal

- Safety glasses

Method:
- Light you Bunsen burner

- Add You sample of metal to your test tube. Add 2ml of acid.

- Carefully insert the boiling tube above the test tube containing the metal and acid (as shown in the diagram below).

- Hold the test tubes together for a few minutes, allowing time for the inverted boiling tube to fill with glass

- When you think the tube is full, your lab partner should light a wooden splint.

- Carefully, but quickly, tilt the boiling tube full of gas upwards and insert the burning splint into the mouth of the test tube.

Result - As gas was being trapped into the boiling tube we lifted it up and away from the other test tube containing the metal and acid, we then quickly put the burning splint into the boiling tube with the gas and heart a "Popping" like sound comes from the tube.

Discussion - For this experiment, we used Magnesium strips and Hydrochloric acid, it was really fun because we didn't expect the popping noise to be so loud. We figured out the longer we kept the metal, acid and boiling tube altogether and the stronger out solution was created an even bigger noise. It was really fun because at first we were all scared the test tubes would break but to our surprise it didn't.

Conclusion - This experiment was really fun to do as I had remembered we had done this in Year 9, it was a quick experiment but was still lots of fun because we wanted to see if we could create an even bigger pop, it worked well and was surprising  to hear. I would definitely do this experiment again.