Overwriters Laboratories inc.

Fear The Penguins!

Paul Atkinson, Scott Jaderholm, Cedric Shock

Products of Burning Metals

Purpose

Produce several metal oxides, react the oxides with water and test the products' acid base properties.

Observations

3. After adding water to the crucible the contents turned from a white solid into a grayish black liquid with solid white speckles.

4. The pH of this liquid is 10, a relatively strong base.

5. The phenolphthalein turned pink when added to the crucible, indicating that the product is a base.

Conclusion

When magnesium oxide and water reacted it produced a base. It could be expected that the reaction of any metallic oxide and water would also produce a base. These products would all share the OH^- ion.

Magnesium and oxygen combined to form magnesium oxide. Magnesium oxide and water combined to form magnesium hydroxide, a base.

Zinc and oxygen would combine to form zinc oxide. Aluminum and oxygen would produce aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃). Cadmium and oxygen would form cadmium oxide. Calcium oxide and water should form calcium hydroxide. Strontium combined with water will yield strontium hydroxide. Potassium oxide and water would produce the base potassium hydroxide.