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A student did an experiment to prove that methane gas, CH₄, produces carbon dioxide and water when it burns - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 21 - 2019 - Paper 4
Question 21
A student did an experiment to prove that methane gas, CH₄, produces carbon dioxide and water when it burns. Look at the diagram of her experiment. The limewater tu... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student did an experiment to prove that methane gas, CH₄, produces carbon dioxide and water when it burns - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 21 - 2019 - Paper 4
Step 1
Describe and explain how the student could change the experiment is set up to prove that water is produced by burning methane.
Answer
To effectively demonstrate that water is a product of burning methane, the student can take the following steps:
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Use a Condenser: The student should incorporate a condenser to collect and analyze the gases produced during the combustion.
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Ensure Complete Combustion: Adjust the Bunsen burner flame to ensure that methane is burnt completely, as incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide and other products instead of carbon dioxide and water.
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Collect the Water: Connect a delivery tube from the container where the methane is burning to a test tube placed upside down in a water bath, ensuring that any water vapor produced can be condensed and collected.
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Test for Water: Once the experiment runs for a while, the student can use a simple test for water, such as adding a few drops of anhydrous copper(II) sulfate which turns blue in the presence of water.
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Repeatability: Lastly, the experiment should be repeated to confirm consistent results, reinforcing the observation that water forms when methane is burnt.