Testing Chemical Bonding Through Conductivity of Solutions Mixed With Assorted Compounds

Ngo, Junnifer Nopar, Hanna Hromadka, Ryan Ruppel, Matt.

High Tech High North County, San Marcos, CA
Introduction
The foundation of almost everything is formed by chemical bonds. The properties of matter is determined by the
chemical bonds used to form the substance itself. Chemical bonds allow chemicals to bond with one another, forming new
chemicals that have completely different properties than the chemicals that created it.[1] For example, table salt is formed by
sodium - a hard metal - and chlorine - a gas that can be highly lethal to humans. These two natural chemicals take on completely
different properties allowing table salt to be edible and useful in any humans everyday life.[2]
A chemicals willingness to bond with other chemicals highly depends on the number of electrons in the outermost
valence shell.[3] Chemicals such as hydrogen - with only one electron in its outermost shell - are very reactive with atoms such
as fluorine - with seven electrons in its most outermost shell. Chemicals such as hydrogen have the natural purpose of losing its
extra electron, or finding another seven to complete an outermost shell of eight electrons. The very same goes for chemicals such
as fluorine which try to find an extra electron to fill the missing gap. When chemicals are able to come into contact with another
chemical that hold the extra electron(s), the reaction is much larger between the two chemicals. These chemicals will have one of
three different types of bonds: ionic, covalent or metallic bonds.[3]
Ionic bonds are where chemicals will merely give away an extra electron or take one.[3] For example, sodium holds a
complete shell of two and eight and an incomplete outermost shell holding one electrons. Chlorine, on the other hand, holds a
complete shell of two and eight and an incomplete outermost shell holding seven electrons. To cure the solution of having
incomplete shells, the two chemicals will form an ionic bond. Chlorine atom will take the extra electron from the sodium atom,
forming complete outermost shells for both chemicals. The chemicals then proceed to linger around each other, forming sodium
chlorine. Covalent bonds are where chemicals instead, share electrons to fill their outermost shells.[3] Carbon atoms hold one
complete shell of two electrons and an incomplete outermost shell with four electrons. If carbon come into contact with two
oxygen atoms, which are also searching for two more electrons to form complete outermost shells each, they would form a
covalent bond, both oxygen atoms sharing two of their electrons with the carbon atom and the carbon atom also sharing two of
its electrons with each of the oxygen atoms, creating carbon dioxide. Metallic bonds can only be formed between metals and is
also known as the alkali reactive force.[3] Metal atoms tend to be satisfied with the number of electrons within their shells.
Instead, they collect with each other and form solid, uniformed rows.[4]
Each bond creates different property traits for each element. A chemical with a ionic bond will have different property
then a chemical with a covalent or metallic bond. For example, lithium fluoride - a chemical with an ionic bond between lithium
and fluorine - and zinc - a chemical that forms metallic bonds with other metal atoms. One way to test the differences between
different bonds is to test the conductivity of chemicals diluted in a control.
To understand how each bond changes the properties of the chemicals, smaller questions need to be understood.
1. Does the number of ions in an ionic solid affect the conductivity trend observed?
2. Do polyatomic ions behave differently for conductivity than elemental ions?
3. Do covalent dissolved molecules impact conductivity?
4. How well can the concentration of a salt in an unknown solution be predicted?
In order to answer this question, a lab was performed using different chemicals to answer each question. Each
chemical was completely diluted in the control - 100 mL of tap water - multiple times, the conductivity recorded each time using
a conductivity meter. The data was then transferred into a spreadsheet and turned into graphs, allowing observation of trend lines
and patterns possible. The four graphs were then transferred into one to closely observe and compare each chemical. Unknown
concentrations can be found through using these graphs and the linear equations that make up the best fit lines of the graphs.
Experimental
To test the effects of each different bond, different chemicals were used to answer each question. To answer how the
number of ions behave differently, CaCl2 (Calcium chloride) was used. In order to seek if the polyatomic ions behave differently
for conductivity than elemental ions MgSO4-7H2O (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate Epsom Salt). To see how well covalent
dissolved molecules impact conductivity, C12H22O11 (Sucrose table sugar) was used. To find how well the concentration of a
salt in an unknown solution can be predicted, NaCl (sodium chloride table salt) was used as well as an unknown concentration
solution of epsom salts .
For this experiment this items are required:
Tools
Balance

Chemicals
NaCl (sodium chloride table salt)

Conductivity Meter

MgSO4-7H2O (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate Epsom

Salt)

Beakers (At least three per person)

C12H22O11 (Sucrose table sugar)

Volumetric Flasks

CaCl2 (Calcium chloride)

Glass Stir Rod

Tap Water

Plastic Squeeze Bottle

Unknown Concentration Solution of NaCl

Solution B (conductivity of 2550)

After all materials are gathered, the conductivity of the control should be measured - in this case the tap water. After
results are recorded, chemicals should be chosen to be diluted in a let amount of the control (100 - 200mL recommended). First,
fill a larger beaker and plastic squeeze bottle with tap water. Then measure the chemicals in relatively close measurements of
0.1g, 0.2g, 0.3g, 0.4g, 0.5g individually - more if detailed data is needed - on a scale within a smaller beaker. Fill the beaker with
water from the plastic squeeze bottle and stir until the chemical is visually gone with the glass stir rod. Pour the solution into the
volumetric flask. Repeat the process of pouring tap water into the beaker that was used to stir the solution and restir. Pour the
solution once again into the volumetric flask and repeat the process once more. Then either use the large beaker of tap water or
the plastic squeeze bottle to fill the volumetric flask to the set control number. Pour the solution inside the volumetric flask into a
empty, unused beaker and place the conductivity meter inside. Record the conductivity and proceed to thoroughly wash all used
glassware. Repeat the experiment for each chemical.
Once the data is collected, convert the concentration of the chemicals into mol/L and create a graph to examine and
compare trend lines between each chemical. By examining the trendline, it can be seen how each different bond can conduct
energy differently. A line with a high slope can conduct energy much better than one with a flat line or negative line. Having a
negative line shows how the chemical instead prevents the conductivity of energy.

Results and Discussion

Figure I

Figure II

Figure III

Figure IV

In figures I, II and IV, the slopes of the best fit lines are all positive, meaning the chemicals added are able to conduct
more energy than water alone. Figure III is the only exception. C12H22O11 brings the conductivity down as more is added,
meaning C12H22O11 has less conductivity than water alone. From this, it can be assumed the number of ions in an ionic solid
and polyatomic ions are able to more easily conduct energy with the bond formed. Covalent bonds, which figure III shows, are
unable to conduct the energy as well. Figure IV represents NaCl which has a ionic bond, pointing towards ionic bonds being able
to conduct energy much better the other bonds.
With closer observation of figure VI, it can be seen the best fit line is given a linear equation of:

y=6.772E5 x+ 884.85 . If the unknown solution was to be solved for using this equation, the y would be substituted
with the conductivity given: 2550. After solving the equation, the concentration of NaCl should be 0.00245887477. This can be
used with any chemical with its individual equation and an unknown concentration or conductivity.
Conclusions

Figure V
In figure V, the trend lines of all the chemicals are combined, allowing more detailed observations to be made. It can
be observed that every chemical with a bond other than a covalent bond, which is represented through C12H22O11 in the red
trend line. NaCl notably has the highest slope, which represents the ionic bonds between atoms. It can be concluded that ionic
bonds affect the conductivity and properties of a chemical in the most positive way while covalent bonds cause the most negative
change. The more ions in an ionic solid also brings an increase to conductivity flow along with the number of polyatomic ions.
It seems with the trend lines and functions of each best fit line, the solution of an unknown amount can be predicted well if the
data is meticulously detailed and finely correct.
To continue this research, the control should be changed into another chemical that can react to the added chemicals. If a new
bond is formed, how different would the properties change from these results?

Reference
[1] Berg, J. Biochemistry. 5th edition. Chemical Bonds in Biochemistry, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/nbk22567/ (accessed
2015).
[2] Harvey, J. Structure and Bonding in Chemistry. Structure and Bonding: Ionic Bonds,
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/pt/harvey/gcse/ionic.html (accessed 2015).
[3] Carpi, A. Visionlearning.com. Vision Learning, http://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/chemistry/1/chemical-bonding/55
(accessed 2015).
[4] Clark, J. Metallic Bonding. Chemwiki,
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/theoretical_chemistry/chemical_bonding/general_principles_of_chemical_bonding/metallic_bondin
g (accessed 2015).