Heating metals in air, Magnesium oxide.
ZIMSEC O Level Combined Science Notes: Experiment: Heating metals in air
Aim: To heat metals in air and observe and record the process and results
Materials: magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, tongs, burner
Method
- Exam the metals and take note of their appearance before heating them
- Hold each metal in turn using tongs and heat it in a burner flame strongly
- ( Some metals burn brightly and you might need to protect/shield your eyes to prevent being blinded)
- Take note of the metal’s reaction during the process
- Cool the metal and take note of its appearance
- Repeat the process for all the metals
- Write down the results
- Be careful of metal fumes during the burning process zinc and magnesium fumes can have detrimental effect to your health
- You might have to wear a breathing mask
Results
| Metal Element | How the metal burns | Appearance before heating | Reaction upon heating |
|---|---|---|---|
| magnesium | It burns brightly and continues to burn even after the flame is removed | It is shiny silver and solid | It burns with a bright white flame and leaves a white residue |
| zinc | burns less vigorously | It is blue-gray/blue-white in colour | Flares brightly and leaves a yellow and white oxide |
| iron | Burns less vigorously | black or silver gray | an orange rust layer forms on the iron |
| copper | Hardily burns at all | Shiny copper colour | Burns with a greenish flame and forms a blackish copper oxide layer on the surface of the flame |
To access more topics go to the Combined Science Notes page.
