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What's the Shiny Stuff in Drãno?

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John T. Wood and Roberta M. Eddy

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705

J. Chem. Educ., 1996, 73 (5), p 463

DOI: 10.1021/ed073p463

Publication Date (Web): May 1, 1996

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Identification of an unknown substance is a problem frequently encountered by chemists. The purpose of this laboratory experiment is to determine the identity of the shiny, metallic shavings present in crystal Drãno.

The laboratory activity begins making the students feel as though they are chemists with a problem to be solved. They are told that when E. B. Curious poured bacon grease down the kitchen sink drain,the drain became clogged. While unplugging the drain, E. B. noticed some shiny stuff in the crystal Drãno. Being Curious, E. B. has come to the chemistry lab with the Drãno can and has asked the students to identify the shiny, little pieces.

This experiment is conducted so students can discover that the shiny stuff in Drãno is amphoteric, that is, it reacts under both acidic and basic conditions. The property of amphoterism allows the unknown metal in Drãno to be identified as aluminum. Identification is easily accomplished when the unknown metal's reactivity in acid and base is compared to the reactivities of known metals (zinc, magnesium, aluminum, and tin) under the same conditions.