Viewing Density as a Periodic Trend

by

Names:

Purpose: How does density change as you move down a family on the periodic

   table?

Materials:

Lead Shot                              10-ml graduated cylinder

Tin Shot                                  50-ml graduated cylinder

Silicon pieces                        Balance

Carbon                                   Weighing dishes

Procedure

1.      Determine the mass and volume of each sample.  Record in your data table.

2.      Calculate the density of each sample.

3.      Graph density vs. period number for your samples.

Data:

ElementCalculated Density
carbon 
silicon 
tin 
lead 
                  
                    
                   
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
Key □ carbon □ silicon □ tin □ lead 

                                         P E R I O D

Analysis and Conclusions

1.      How does density change as you move down this group in the periodic table?

2.      Use your graph to interpolate the density of germanium.

3.      Calculate the percent error of your densities you determined as compared with accepted values.

  1. Lead                           11.342 g/cm3
  1. tin                                7.265 g/cm3
  1. silicon                         2.336 g/cm3
  1. carbon                        2.266 g/cm3

e. germanium                    5.323 g/cm3

Extra Credit: Look up the densities for another family.  Do you observe the same periodic trend as you found in this experiment?  Turn in a written explanation.

Leave a Comment