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5.10 Student

This document outlines an activity for students to observe the formation of soap scum when soap is added to hard water, which contains dissolved minerals. The procedure includes preparing cups, mixing soap with water and hard water, and observing the differences in reactions. Students are also prompted to compare soap and soap scum, and to reflect on whether a chemical reaction occurs during the experiment.

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Sugaran Noor Hamza
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5 views

5.10 Student

This document outlines an activity for students to observe the formation of soap scum when soap is added to hard water, which contains dissolved minerals. The procedure includes preparing cups, mixing soap with water and hard water, and observing the differences in reactions. Students are also prompted to compare soap and soap scum, and to reflect on whether a chemical reaction occurs during the experiment.

Uploaded by

Sugaran Noor Hamza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Student activity sheet Name:_______________________________

Activity 5.10
Formation of a precipitate
What happens when soap is added to hard water?
In certain parts of the country, minerals like calcium, iron, or magnesium are naturally
dissolved in the water. Water that has minerals dissolved in it is called hard water. These
minerals can combine with soap to create soap scum. In this activity, you are going to
make hard water and see how it reacts with soap.

Procedure
Prepare the cups
1. Label 3 plastic cups soap, water, and hard water.

2. Place 3 tablespoons of water in the soap cup and 2 tablespoons


of water into each of the water and hard water cups

3. Hold a piece of Ivory soap on a piece of paper. Use a popsicle stick or plastic spoon
to scrape soap flakes onto the paper.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of soap flakes to the water in the soap cup,


and stir until the water is white.

5. Make “hard water” by adding 2 teaspoons of Epsom salt to the


water in the hard water cup, and mix until no more Epsom salt will dissolve.

Add soap to water and to hard water


6. Use a dropper to pick up soap solution from the soap cup.
Carefully squirt several droppers-full of the soap solution into a
teaspoon until it is full.

 our this teaspoon of soap solution into the water cup. Use the
7. P
dropper to collect another teaspoon of soap solution, and also
add it to the water cup.

8. Using the same method described in Steps 1 and 2, add 2 teaspoons of soap solu-
tion to the hard water cup.

9. Look at the cups from the top and the side. Record your observations at the top of
the following page.

302 Investigation 5. Chemical change © 2007 American Chemical Society


Student activity sheet Name:_______________________________
Activity 5.10
Formation of a precipitate (continued)
Use words and drawings to describe what you see in each cup.
Soap in water Soap in hard water

How do you know that soap scum is different from soap?


Procedure
Prepare the cups
1. Label one cup soap and the other soap scum.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of water to each of the labeled cups. These cups will be used after the
soap scum is collected.
Collect the soap scum
3. Place a coffee filter on the top of a plastic cup as shown. Hold the filter
in place as you pour the hard water and soap scum into the filter.
4. Allow some of the water to drain through. Then carefully remove
the filter and gently squeeze the remaining water into the cup.
5. Carefully lay the coffee filter on a paper towel as shown. Use a
popsicle stick to scrape the filter to collect the soap scum.
Compare the amount of bubbling in each cup
6. Look at the amount of soap scum you have. Then place a similar
amount of soap flakes into the cup labeled soap and stir gently.
7. Add the soap scum to its labeled cup and stir gently.
8. Place a straw into both cups. Gently blow through each straw and
compare the amount of bubbling.
© 2007 American Chemical Society Investigation 5. Chemical change 303
Student activity sheet Name:_______________________________
Activity 5.9
Formation of a precipitate (continued)

1. Does soap scum dissolve in water as well as soap? ____________________________

2. Does soap scum bubble in water as well as soap? _ ____________________________

Draw the amount of bubbling you saw in each cup.

Soap in water Soap scum in water

3. Do you think a chemical reaction occurs when soap is added to hard water?_________

Think about the definition of “chemical reaction” and what you observed in your
experiment to explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

304 Investigation 5. Chemical change © 2007 American Chemical Society

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