Investigating Powder ~ White Powder Test

Equipment Needed For This Experiment:

Baking Soda

Cornflour

Sugar

Salt

Iodine

Vinegar

Magnifying Glass

Eyedrop

Black Card

Teaspoon/stick

Method: 

1. Place one-fourth teaspoon (1 ml) of the four white powders on a sheet of black construction paper. Label the powders with your pen.
2. Study the powders with the magnifying glass. Examine what each powder looks like. How would you describe the powder's shape. Does it have large or small grains? Your observations should be written in the appearance column of the chart.
3. Examine the powders further by rubbing each powder between your fingers. Describe how each powder feels in the Texture column of the chart.
4. Determine if there is a smell to any of the powders. Record your findings in the Smell column of the chart.
5. Take the eyedropper and place a drop of water on each individual powder. Examine what happens? Do the powders dissolve? Is there a reaction? Write your observations in the Reaction to Water column.
6. Place one-half teaspoon (2ml) of each powder in a separate jar. Add 2 drops of iodine to each jar using the eyedropper. Record what happens in the Reaction to Iodine column. Iodine should be handled with care.

        

Substance	Appearance	Smell	Texture	Water	Vinegar	Iodine
CornFlour	Large	Nothing	Soft	Oobleck	Didn’t Do	It Hardens
Sugar	Small	Nothing	Rough	Gray	Didn’t Do	It turns Yellow
Salt	Small	Like odd perfume	Rough	same	Didn’t Do	It turns Orange
Baking Soda	Large	Nothing	Rough (A little bit)	same	Didn’t Do	It looks sticky