Yesterday we did an experiment that involved making hydrogen. Before we started our lab, we learned about atoms and the way they interact with each other. We learned that atoms are not the smallest thing there is but are the smallest unit of a substance. If you break atoms up into their sub particles, the sub particles no longer hold the properties of the atom they came from. Atoms can be broken up into three different types of particles: protons which have a positive charge, neutrons which have a neutral charge, and electrons which have a negative charge. The protons and neutrons are contained within the nucleus of the atom, or the center. They hold the most significant mass inside of the atom. The electrons orbit around the nucleus and hold insignificant mass inside the atom. The amount of protons in the atom are indicated by the atomic number on the periodic table. To find the number of neutrons in the atom you take the difference between the mass number and the atomic number. Electrons are always the same number as protons. The way atoms bond together is through their electrons. Atoms with unfilled spaces in their outer electron shells are unstable. To become stable they need to bond with other atoms that can fill up the space of the missing electrons with their electrons. Because hydrogen is an unstable atom, it tends to bond with other atoms to become stable. In our experiment we aimed to separate hydrogen from oxygen.
When we did our experiment we placed magnesium inside a flask. We then poured in citric acid. After the citric acid went in, we poured in 150mL of water. The reaction that happened was that when all mixed together water and citric acid bonded together. Magnesium has the same amount of electrons that oxygen does in its outer shell, thus the magnesium atoms replaced the hydrogen atoms. This allowed for the hydrogen atoms to separate and float into the balloon that we had covered the top of the flask with. Once all the magnesium had dissolved, we disconnected our balloon and tied it off. While the reaction was taking place, large amounts of heat were omitted from the flask. Another thing that I observed was the magnesium fizzled while it was dissolving into the water. In reflection I understand that the heat that was given off was given off by atoms releasing energy in their attempt to bond with other atoms and become more stable. I also now understand that the fizzling was the hydrogen floating into the balloon. I think that the experiment was very cool. However, our balloon did not float because the mass of the balloon was to heavy for the hydrogen to lift.
When we did our experiment we placed magnesium inside a flask. We then poured in citric acid. After the citric acid went in, we poured in 150mL of water. The reaction that happened was that when all mixed together water and citric acid bonded together. Magnesium has the same amount of electrons that oxygen does in its outer shell, thus the magnesium atoms replaced the hydrogen atoms. This allowed for the hydrogen atoms to separate and float into the balloon that we had covered the top of the flask with. Once all the magnesium had dissolved, we disconnected our balloon and tied it off. While the reaction was taking place, large amounts of heat were omitted from the flask. Another thing that I observed was the magnesium fizzled while it was dissolving into the water. In reflection I understand that the heat that was given off was given off by atoms releasing energy in their attempt to bond with other atoms and become more stable. I also now understand that the fizzling was the hydrogen floating into the balloon. I think that the experiment was very cool. However, our balloon did not float because the mass of the balloon was to heavy for the hydrogen to lift.