New
New
Year 10
•
AQA
•
Foundation
Pure substance
I can describe what a pure substance is, and identify a pure substance from melting and boiling point data.
New
New
Year 10
•
AQA
•
Foundation
Pure substance
I can describe what a pure substance is, and identify a pure substance from melting and boiling point data.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A 'pure substance' in chemistry is a single element or compound not mixed with any other substance.
- The definition of 'pure' means something different in its everyday usage.
- Pure elements and compounds have specific melting and boiling points.
- Melting point data can be used to recognise substances with specific melting points as pure substances.
Keywords
Pure substance - A pure substance in chemistry is a single element or compound that is not mixed with any other substance.
Property - A property is a feature or characteristic of a substance that can be used to classify it, or describe how it behaves.
Common misconception
Pupils can struggle to decide on the scales needed for an axis on a graph.
Suggest a suitable scale that will fit on the graph paper they will use or use a computer to draw graphs.
To save time, pupils work in pairs and each collect data for one of the substances at the same time or combine results with another group. Test substances prior to lesson to make sure there is enough time to gather results. Sample data is in additional materials.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Paraffin wax, salol or other pure substances that give good cooling curve results, boiling tube, thermometer, water bath to melt substance, stop clock.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
Download starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.
A material is composed of only one type of chemical.
Correct Answer: pure
pure
Q2.
What is the name given to a substance found in a material in very small amounts, but which can alter the material’s properties?
Correct Answer: impurity, an impurity, impurities
impurity, an impurity, impurities
Q3.
Which diagram correctly represents a mixture of two metals in the solid state?
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
Q4.
Which of these statements about mixtures are true?
Mixtures boil at a single, specific temperature.
Mixtures contain a maximum of three types of chemicals.
Correct answer: Mixtures boil over a range of temperatures.
Mixtures boil over a range of temperatures.
Mixtures always include water.
Correct answer: Mixtures must contain at least two types of chemicals.
Mixtures must contain at least two types of chemicals.
Q5.
What is the highest temperature at which all of these substances are in the solid state?
-218$$^o$$C
Correct answer: -210$$^o$$C
-210$$^o$$C
0$$^o$$C
2950$$^o$$C
never
Q6.
Starting from a substance in the gas state, can you put the states and the temperatures at which changes of state happen in order?
1 - substance in the gas state
1
- substance in the gas state
2 - condensing point
2
- condensing point
3 - substance in the liquid state
3
- substance in the liquid state
4 - freezing point
4
- freezing point
5 - substance in the solid state
5
- substance in the solid state
Exit quiz
Download exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.
A pure substance in chemistry is a single element or compound that is not mixed with any other substance. Which of the following are pure substances in chemistry?
pure beeswax
Correct answer: pure gold bars
pure gold bars
pure orange juice
Correct answer: pure water in the solid state
pure water in the solid state
Q2.
The image shows the label of a pack of orange juice. What information on the label tells us it is not chemically pure?
Correct answer: it contains at least two types of carbohydrate
it contains at least two types of carbohydrate
Correct answer: it contains 200 mg of potassium per 100 ml
it contains 200 mg of potassium per 100 ml
Correct answer: it contains protein and vitamin C
it contains protein and vitamin C
it has one ingredient: orange juice
it is NOT FROM CONCENTRATE
Q3.
Honey has a melting range of 35 to 40$$^o$$C and it decomposes before it boils. Using this information and what you know about pure substances, what makes honey an impure substance?
it decomposes before it gets to boiling
it is melting at 36$$^o$$C
Correct answer: it has a melting range from 35 to 40$$^o$$C
it has a melting range from 35 to 40$$^o$$C
it has another substance added to it
Correct answer: it is made up of more than one type of compound
it is made up of more than one type of compound
Q4.
How is the melting point of a chemical substance represented on a graph?
Correct answer: as a horizontal line on a cooling curve
as a horizontal line on a cooling curve
Correct answer: as a horizontal line on a heating curve
as a horizontal line on a heating curve
as a sloped line on a cooling curve
as a sloped line on a heating curve
Q5.
A melting and freezing experiment is done with stearic acid. Put the stages of the experiment in order:
1 - Set up a beaker with water, heating up above a Bunsen burner to a gentle boil.
1
- Set up a beaker with water, heating up above a Bunsen burner to a gentle boil.
2 - Clamp a boiling tube, with solid substance and thermometer below water level.
2
- Clamp a boiling tube, with solid substance and thermometer below water level.
3 - Record temperature at suitable time intervals until it reaches 70$$^o$$C.
3
- Record temperature at suitable time intervals until it reaches 70$$^o$$C.
4 - Note the point at which the solid starts to melt.
4
- Note the point at which the solid starts to melt.
5 - Lift the clamp with the tube from the hot water.
5
- Lift the clamp with the tube from the hot water.
6 - Record the temperature at suitable time intervals until it reaches 50$$^o$$C.
6
- Record the temperature at suitable time intervals until it reaches 50$$^o$$C.
7 - Note the point at which the liquid starts to solidify.
7
- Note the point at which the liquid starts to solidify.
Q6.
Honey can crystallise at room temperature, and starts to decompose (caramelise and smoke) at around 60$$^o$$C. How could you melt crystallised honey so this doesn't happen? Put the steps in order.
1 - Heat water in a pan until 60$$^o$$C and turn off the heat.
1
- Heat water in a pan until 60$$^o$$C and turn off the heat.
2 - Put honey in a glass bowl.
2
- Put honey in a glass bowl.
3 - Place the bowl in the hot water.
3
- Place the bowl in the hot water.
4 - Wait until all the honey has just melted and remove from the pan.
4
- Wait until all the honey has just melted and remove from the pan.
5 - Enjoy! You can repeat this if it crystallises again.
5
- Enjoy! You can repeat this if it crystallises again.
Additional material
Download additional material
We're sorry, but preview is not currently available. Download to see additional material.