Metal Tests

[JustStuit]

I have 5 g of a metal. What are some tests I can do to determine what types of metals are in it?

[JustStuit]

The only thing I could think of was magnetism - it is magnetic.

[silkworm]

So you have 5 grams of a metal or 5 grams of metals? Is it pure or is it an oxide?

 

I like to keep things simple until they can't be. If it's just a metal I'd just check it's density. You already know it's mass, just figure out its volume (if you have a graduated cylinder this is very simple) and check it against a list of densities.

 

Be careful though, if it's a group 1 or 2 metal you may put yourself in danger by measuring its volume. Especially the heavier ones.

[JustStuit]

5 grams of a metal. I'm off to check the density now. I think it's stable

[silkworm]

Okay. Good luck.

 

I was hoping to get a list of densities from webelements, but I'm not smart enough to figure out how to get a number and not a graph. If you don't have any lists just throw me the number and I'll give you what's in that area on my periodic table.

[KFC]

You can shoot it with an X-ray and it will bounce back.You see the secterum

that bounce back and you can tell the what kind of medal it is.

 

If you have an X-ray

[YT2095]

if the metals solid, then yes a simple water displacement to establish it`s volume over mass is a great idea, a borax bead test maybe helpfull too or a flame test. but basicly it`ll come down to a process of elimination, sometimes establishing what it ISN`T can be the only tool left where there`s a lack of hi-tech expensive equipment.

[RyanJ]

I say a flame test and then maybe testing its activity with some acids - should give you a rough idea of the element. After that you can use some other tests to identify the metal using what you have left over from the pevious tests

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[John Cuthber]

Probably the most important bit of information in trying to find out what it's made of is "where did you get it?".

 

If you found it in the street it probably isn't anything rare or expensive. If it came from a bottle labeled "zinc" then it's not unreasonable to test for zinc.

[JustStuit]

BTW judging by the density it is either iron or some compound. My teacher said it probably was iron.

[Primarygun]

The only thing I could think of was magnetism - it is magnetic.

I always forget this for magnetic metals.

[YT2095]

well there`s only 4 elements naturaly magnet responsive like that, and happily they`re all transitional elements of the sort that give really great color results for identification with very simple reagents