Question

When given 5 g of a mysterious white powder to identify, two

students discuss how to plan an experiment to determine the identity of
the unknown powder. They know it is one of the six substances. Which of
the following is a logical first step in an experiment that could be used to
determine the identity of the mystery powder?

Answer 1

Perform a solubility test using different solvents to determine the identity of the mystery powder.

Step-by-step explanation:

The logical first step in an experiment to determine the identity of the mystery powder would be to perform a solubility test. Each of the six substances can be dissolved in a specific solvent. By adding the mystery powder to different solvents and observing if it dissolves or not, we can narrow down the possibilities.

For example, if the mystery powder dissolves in water but not in alcohol, it could be one of the substances that are soluble in water but not in alcohol. This initial observation will help guide further tests and experiments to identify the exact substance.

This step is important because different substances have different solubility properties, and their solubility behavior can be used as a characteristic feature to identify them.