Microscale Gas Chemistry
Presentations 

Possible Activities for
3-day Laboratory-Based Workshops

Bruce Mattson, Dept. of Chemistry, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68178 USA
Susan Mattson, Underwood High School, Underwood, Iowa 51576 USA

The following is a list of possible lab and discussion activities.  This list consists of over 30 hours of activities.  We will work with you to determine the ideal focus for your group.  A complete list of the activities involved with each part is provided below (after this summary list).

Part 1. Experiments with Carbon Dioxide (2 hours)
Part 2. Experiments with Hydrogen (2 hours)
Part 3. Experiments with Oxygen (2 hours)
Part 4. Experiments with Nitrogen Oxides (2 hours)
Part 5. Experiments with Ammonia (1.3 hours)
Part 6. Experiments with Sulfur Dioxide (1.5 hours)
Part 7. Experiments with Hydrogen Sulfide (1.5 hours) (We will work outdoors.)
Part 8. Experiments with Ethyne (1 hour)
Part 9. Experiments with Chlorine (1.8 hours)
Part 10. Experiments with Hydrogen Chloride (2 hours)
Part 11. Experiments with Carbon Monoxide (2 hours)
Part 12. Experiments with Ethene (2 hours)
Part 13. Experiments with Methane (2.5 hours)
Part 14. Experiments with Nitrous Oxide (1 hours)
Part 15. Experiments with Silane (1.5 hours)


Part 1. Experiments with Carbon Dioxide (2 hours)

1. NEW TECHNIQUES. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of CO2 and washing the gas (20 minutes)
2. NEW TECHNIQUE. Transfer Technique Using long tubing.  Traditional limewater test for CO2 (15 minutes)
3. Flame-out! (15 minutes)
4. Acidity of CO2 (15 minutes)
5. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Reaction Technique.  Reacting the Gas (CO2) with a solution (NaOH(aq)) inside the syringe. (15 minutes)
6. NEW TECHNIQUE.   The Equilibrium Between CO2(g) and Carbonic Acid (15 minutes)
7. NEW TECHNIQUE.   MM of CO2 — Class average, data analysis (25 minutes)
8. Safety: Tilt! Twist! Release! (15 minutes)

Part 2. Experiments with Hydrogen (2 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of H2 and washing the gas. (15 minutes)
2. Traditional Test for Hydrogen (15 minutes)
3. Effusion Experiment  (15 minutes)
4. Limiting Reagent and Theoretical Yield — Classroom Cooperative activity: Class plot of mass of Zn vs volume H2 produced (Avogodro's law)  (20 minutes)
5. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Hydrogen bubbles vs bubbles of hydrogen-air mixture  (15 minutes)
6. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Reduction of CuO(s) with Hydrogen  (15 minutes)
7. Hydrogen Burns With a Gentle Flame  (15 minutes)
8. Hydrogen and platinum (a demonstration) (15 minutes)

Part 3. Experiments with Oxygen (2 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of O2 and washing the gas. (20 minutes)
2. Traditional Test for Oxygen (10 minutes)
3. Oxygen Supports Combustion (15 minutes)
4. The Blue Bottle Experiment (15 minutes)
5. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Transferring gases between syringes using Latex tubing.  Dynamite Soap (15 minutes)
6. Steel Wool Burns in Oxygen (15 minutes)
7. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Hydrogen/Oxygen Rockets — Stoichiometry vs Distance — a Class Graph (20 minutes)
8. Molar Mass of Oxygen (20 minutes)


Part 4. Experiments with Nitrogen Oxides (2 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of NO and washing the gas (20 minutes)
2. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Reactions in a Well Plate: (30 minutes)
a. Nitric oxide reacts with KMnO4(aq)
b. NO(g) reacts with Fe+2(aq)
c. NO(g) reduces Br2(aq) to colorless bromide
3. Conversion of NO to NO2 (20 minutes)
a. Qualitative
b. Quantitative
4. NEW TECHNIQUE.   LeChatelier Principle and the NO2/N2O4 Equilibrium (15 minutes)
5. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Acid Rain Microchemistry (20 minutes)
6. React (Destroy excess/unwanted) NO2 with KMnO4 (10 minutes)

Part 5. Experiments with Ammonia (1.3 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of NH3 and transferring the gas to a clean, dry syringe (15 minutes)
2. Ammonia is a Base (15 minutes)
3. Ammonia Fountain (15 minutes)
4. Acid-Base Reactions with Fruit Juices (15 minutes)
5. Ammonia Forms Complex Ions with Transition Metals — group show and share (20 minutes)

Part 6. Experiments with Sulfur Dioxide (1.5 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of SO2 and transferring the gas (15 minutes)
2. Sulfur Dioxide Reacts Quickly with NaOH(aq) (15 minutes)
3. Sulfur Dioxide is acidic  (15 minutes)
4. Sulfur Dioxide Discolors Many Natural Colors (15 minutes)
5. Acid Rain Microchemistry  (15 minutes)
6. Sulfur Dioxide Is a reducing agent: (15 minutes)
SO2 reacts with permanganate
SO2 reacts with dichromate
SO2 reacts with Br2(aq)


Part 7. Experiments with Hydrogen Sulfide (1.5 hours) (We will work outdoors.)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of H2S and transferring the gas (15 minutes)
2. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Reaction Between H2S(g) and NaOH(aq) and Use of NaOH Treatment Solution (15 minutes)
3. NEW TECHNIQUE.  Reaction Between H2S (from above) and SO2 Yields Elemental Sulfur  (15 minutes)
4. NEW TECHNIQUE.   H2S Burns in Oxygen with a Blue Flame (15 minutes)
5. Precipitation Reactions (20 minutes)
6. Reoxidation of Metal Sulfides (15 minutes)

Part 8. Experiments with Ethyne (1 hour)

 
1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of C2H2 and washing the gas (15 minutes)
2. Ethyne Reacts with Aqueous Bromine (15 minutes)
3. Sooty Combustible of Ethyne (15 minutes)
4. Ethyne/Oxygen Rockets (15 minutes)

Part 9. Experiments with Chlorine (1.8 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of Cl2 and transferring the gas (15 minutes)
2. Chlorine Reacts with Sodium Hydroxide (10 minutes)
3. Chlorine Reacts with Aqueous Sodium Sulfite (10 minutes)
4. Chlorine Discolors the Natural Colors of Fruit Juices — A Classroom share and compare activity (15 minutes)
5. Testing Colorfast Fabrics — A Classroom share and compare activity (15 minutes)
6. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Chlorine and Sodium Form Sodium Chloride (15 minutes)
7. Hydrogen/Chlorine Rockets (15 minutes)
8. Chemiluminescence and Singlet Oxygen (15 minutes)
9. NEW TECHNIQUE.  Spectacular Underwater Fireworks!  (15 minutes)
 


Part 10. Experiments with Hydrogen Chloride (2 hours)
 

1. NEW TECHNIQUE.  General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of HCl and transferring the gas (20 minutes)
2. Formation of an aerosol (15 minutes)
3. NEW TECHNIQUE.   In-vial reaction: Reaction with concentrated ammonium hydroxide (15 minutes)
4. "Acid Snow?"  Supersaturating NaCl(sat'd) (15 minutes)
5. Reaction with NaHCO3(aq)  (15 minutes)
6. Curdled milk (10 minutes)
7. Office paper  (15 minutes)
8. HCl fountain (15 minutes)
 


Part 11. Experiments with Carbon Monoxide (2 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of CO and transferring the gas (20 minutes)
2. Blue Jets!  Combustion of CO(g) with a Blue Flame (15 minutes)
3. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Reduction of CuO with CO (15 minutes)
4. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (15 minutes)
5. Reduction of Palladium and Silver Ions with Carbon Monoxide (15 minutes)
6. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Catalytic Converters and Your Car (20 minutes)
7. Carbon Monoxide Detectors (15 minutes)
 


Part 12. Experiments with Ethene (2 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of C2H4 and transferring the gas (20 minutes)
2. Reaction with Bromine-water (15 minutes)
3. Going Bananas with Ethene!  (15 minutes)
4. Reactions with Chlorine.  Formation of 1,2-dichloroethane (20 minutes)
5. Catalytic Hydrogenation of Ethene (20 minutes)
6. Preparation of C2H4 from polyethylene (20 minutes)
 


Part 13. Experiments with Methane (2.5 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of CH4 and transferring the gas (20 minutes)
2. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Density of Methane:  Lighter-than-Air Methane Bubbles and Density of Methane: Burning Methane in a Large Test Tube (15 minutes)
3. NEW TECHNIQUE.   How a Bunsen Burner Works (15 minutes)
4. Burned Rings in Paper (15 minutes)
5. Window screen provides thermal insulation (15 minutes)
6. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Big Water Thrasher (Demo) (15 minutes)
7. Catalytic Oxidation of Methane in Air (20 minutes)
8. Catalytic Oxidation of Methane with Nitrogen Dioxide (20 minutes)
9. NEW TECHNIQUE.   Reaction with Chlorine: Formation of Soot (20 minutes)
 


Part 14. Experiments with Nitrous Oxide (1 hours)
 

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of N2O and transferring the gas (15 minutes)
2. Splint test (5 minutes)
3. Catalytic oxidation of methane (20 minutes)
4. Reaction with hydrogen (20 minutes)

Part 15. Experiments with Silane (1.5 hours)

1. General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of SiH4 and transferring the gas using P-trap technique (30 minutes)
2. Reaction with air (15 minutes)
3. Reaction with Cl2 (20 minutes)
4. Reaction with O2 (20 minutes)