Chemistry: The Central Science (13th Edition)

Published by Prentice Hall
ISBN 10: 0321910419
ISBN 13: 978-0-32191-041-7

Chapter 1 - Introduction: Matter and Measurement - Exercises - Page 35: 1.24

Answer

To determine which of the three beakers is water, conduct a density test. To determine which of the other two has salt, do a conductivity test.

Work Step by Step

This question asks us to distinguish three colorless liquids from each other, one is water, one is sugar water, and a third is saltwater. To determine which is water, take a 10 mL sample of each and weigh it, then find the density. Pure water has a density of 1 g/mL, and the other two beakers will have different values. Now, we know that one of these beakers has saltwater and the other has sugar water. Saltwater conducts electricity and sugar water doesn't. Perform a conductivity test. If it passes, it is saltwater, the one that fails will be sugar water.
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