Magnesium Lab

For this lab, my peers and I gathered into groups and put a 25 cm piece of Magnesium into a crucible, which we soon heated to a burn.  The ashes of the chemical were collected and mixed in some water. The compound was tested and would tell us the conductivity of Magnesium.

Mass Data

Material(s)                                                                        Mass (g)

Empty Crucible................................................................. 26.40g

Crucible and Mg Ribbon

before eating..................................................................... 26.23g

Magnesium Ribbon.............................................................. .19g

Crucible and Mg products 

after heating...................................................................... 26.34g

Magnesium Products........................................................ 94.24g

Beaker............................................................................... 82.7g

Conductivity...................................................................... LOW

According to this experiment's data, Magnesium has a low conductivity!

Substances and Conductivity Lab

Substances have conductivity! Conductivity is known as the ability for a substance to conduct electric current. The levels of these vary. For this assignment, a partner and I had conductivity testers-a device which had small metal prongs and a battery to power a little light bulb. This worked by lowering the metal prongs found at the bottom of the device into the substance. The electric charge would flow in a current through the metal prongs to the battery, finally reaching the light found at the top. This showed conductivity.

We tested water and many substances mixed in with water for their conductivity such as corn syrup, antacid tables, sulfur, sodium, and molasses. In the graph above, Conductivity was determined by how bright the light bulb was shining (1 for low, 2 for medium, and 3 for bright).

But why??
Why do these chemicals have conductivity? Valance electrons surround the element nucleus. There is enough room for 8 of these. Some don't have the full 8, so they take some and try to make up for the ones they don't have. They try to get those. This reacts, making the chemical have conductivity.