By Micheal Bailey Raines

Lab Report: Who Poisoned Buzz Lightyear?

IntroductionAfter inviting many famous guests over, Buzz

Lightyear has been found poisoned. Several items were found at the crime scene: a liquid, a wrap, powder, and a hot dog. All guests were required to bring a liquid, a wrap, powder, and a hot dog with them. If the items found match with the items brought by a guest, we will know who poisoned Buzz Lightyear. A group of students have been brought in to identify the properties of the items in order to compare them with the properties of the crime scene items.

SuspectsSuspect Drink Wrap Powder Hot Dog

Wicked Witch

Water Zinc Ascorbic Acid

Fat Free

Snow White Alcohol Sulfur Ascorbic Acid

Light Pork

Daffy Duck Grape Drink

Plastic Sodium Polyacrylate

Pork

Shrek Water Iron Sucrose Fat Free

Dorothy Salt Water Aluminum Baking Soda

Pork

Princess Leia

Vinegar Iron Ascorbic Acid

Light Pork

Harry Potter

Lemonade Copper Sucrose Light Pork

Jimmy Neutron

Water Iron Sodium Polyacrylate

Pork

Icky Vicky Vinegar Aluminum Ascorbic Acid

Light Pork

Darth Vader

Salt Water Aluminum Sodium Chloride

Fat Free

Lord Voldemort

Salt Water Zinc Baking Soda

Fat Free

Goofy Alcohol Copper Sodium Chloride

Pork

Ariel Water Iron Sucrose Pork

Suspects (continued)Suspect Drink Wrap Powder Hot Dog

Ursula Alcohol Plastic Sodium Polyacrylate

Fat Free

Donkey Vinegar Copper Sodium Chloride

Light Pork

Prince Charming

Salt Water Aluminum Baking Soda Fat Free

Nancy Drew Salt Water Iron Sodium Chloride

Pork

Sponge Bob Water Zinc Sucrose Pork

Dora Salt Water Zinc Baking Soda Light Pork

Luke Skywalker

Salt Water Aluminum Sodium Polyacrylate

Fat Free

HypothesisIf the properties of Lord Voldemort’s items

are the same as the properties of the crime scene items, then he is the one who poisoned Buzz Lightyear, because that means it was his materials found at the crime scene.

MaterialsLiquids: Pure water, alcohol, salt water, vinegar,

grape drink, lemonade with pulp, and the unidentified crime scene liquid.

Wraps: Chips of zinc, sulfur powder, sheets of plastic, chips of iron, chips of aluminum, chips of copper, and the unidentified crime scene wrap.

Powders: Ascorbic acid, sodium polyacrylate, sucrose, baking soda, sodium chloride, and the unidentified crime scene liquid.

Hot Dogs: Fat free, light pork, pork, and the unidentified crime scene hot dog.

Testing Materials: Plastic graduated cylinder, a book of matches, hydrochloric acid, a testing plate, paper cups, a conductivity meter, a mass scale, two tweezers, water, a hot plate, iodine, paper towels, a glass cup, and a liquid dropper.

ProcedureI. Research (through any means available) the composition of each item, including the crime

scene materials. (pure substance or mixture, homogeneous or heterogeneous, element or compound.)

II. Discover the properties of each liquid, including the crime scene liquid: these properties are physical, (density, conductivity, color, and odor.) and chemical. (flammability and reactivity.)

1. Put each liquid in a graduated cylinder partway filled with water in order to discover its density; if it sinks below the water, it is more than one; if it rises above the water, it is less than one. Water as a suspect item is automatically one.

2. Pour each liquid into a different pool on the testing plate. 3. Observe and record each liquid’s visible characteristics. 4. Observe and record each liquid’s color. 5. Observe each liquid’s odor; to smell the odor, waft each liquid’s scent towards your nose

and intake the smell. 6. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each liquid, one at a time; when the

meter lights up, observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its conductivity.

7. Light several matches and stick one into each liquid, if it catches fire, then it is flammable; if it does not, then it is inflammable.

8. Pour some hydrochloric acid (WARNING: DO NOT TOUCH.) into a glass cup, squeeze some into the liquid dropper, squeeze a drop into each liquid, and see if it reacts.

Procedure (continued)III. Discover the properties of each wrap, including the crime scene wrap: these properties are

physical, (density, conductivity, malleability, and luster.) and chemical. (reactivity.)

1. Place each wrap into a pool on the testing plate.

2. Observe and record each wrap’s visible characteristics.

3. Take the two tweezers and, one at a time, try to bend each wrap with them by holding using the tweezers, and applying pressure. If it bends, it is malleable; if it does not, it is not malleable. Sulfur is not malleable by default, as it is in small, brittle, pieces.

4. Observe each wrap; if it shines, it has luster; if it is dull, it has no luster.

5. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each wrap, one at a time; when the meter lights up, observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its conductivity.

6. Squeeze a drop of hydrochloric acid on each wrap, and see if it reacts.

7. Test each wrap’s mass on the mass scale, then fill the graduated cylinder to a specific mark with water, after which you drop a wrap into the cylinder. See how much the water’s gone up, and subtract the original volume to get the wrap’s volume (in between each volume test, empty out the cylinder to get back the wrap, and then refill it with water, and drop in a different wrap.) Divide each wrap’s mass by its volume to get the density.

Procedure (continued)IV. Discover the properties of each powder, including the crime scene

powder; these properties are physical, (solubility, conductivity, and melting.) and chemical. (flammability and reactivity.)

1. Place each powder into a pool on the testing plate.

2. Observe and record each powder’s visible characteristics.

3. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each powder, one at a time; when the meter lights up, observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its conductivity.

4. Squeeze a drop of hydrochloric acid on each powder, and see if it reacts.

5. Light several matches and stick one into each powder, if it catches fire, then it is flammable; if it does not, then it is inflammable.

6. Pour a powder onto a hot plate, one at a time, and activate the hot plate. If it melts, it can be melted; if it doesn’t, it cannot be melted. Repeat after each test for all powders.

7. Pour some more of a powder, one at a time, into a cup full of water. If it dissolves, it is soluble; if it doesn’t dissolve, it is insoluble. Repeat after each test for all powders.

Procedure (continued)V. Discover the properties of each hot dog, including the crime scene hot dog; these

properties are physical, (pre-squeeze mass, post-squeeze mass, conductivity, and density.) and chemical. (reactivity.)

1. Place each hot dog into a pool on the testing plate.

2. Observe and record each hot dog’s visible characteristics.

3. Stick the two points of the conductivity meter into each hot dog, one at a time; when the meter lights up, observe the light, then check the back of the meter to see what that light says about its conductivity.

4. Squeeze a drop of hydrochloric acid on each hot dog, and see if it reacts.

5. Test each hot dog’s mass on the mass scale, then fill the graduated cylinder to a specific mark with water, after which, drop a hot dog into the cylinder, one at a time. See how much the water’s gone up, and subtract the original volume to get the hot dog’s volume (in between each volume test, empty out the cylinder to get back the hot dog, and then refill it with water.) Divide each hot dog’s mass by its volume to get the density.

6. Place a hot dog on the mass scale, and determine its mass; repeat with the other hot dogs.

7. Place a hot dog in a paper towel, and use the paper towel to squeeze all of the juices out of the hot dog; repeat with the other hot dogs.

8. Place the remains of a hot dog (including the skin.) onto the mass scale once more, and record its mass. Repeat for all other squeezed hot dogs.

Procedure (continued)VI. Review the data, and see which

material’s properties are the same as the crime scene materials, which should have been tested with the other materials. After that, see which suspect has those materials.

DataDrinks Observatio

nsPure or Mixture

Homogeneous or Heterogeneous

Element or Compound

Pure Water Clear, wet pure n/a compound

Rubbing Alcohol

Clear, wet mixture homo n/a

Salt Water Murky, wet, salty

mixture hetero n/a

Vinegar Clear, wet musky

mixture homo n/a

Grape Drink

Purple, translucent

mixture hetero n/a

Lemonade with Pulp

Murky, yellow

mixture hetero n/a

Crime Scene Liquid

Clear, wet pure n/a compound

Data (continued)Wrap Observations Pure or

MixtureHomogeneous or Heterogeneous

Element or Compound

Plastic Purple, smooth, rigid

mixture homo n/a

Aluminum Small, shiny, flat

pure n/a element

Zinc Shiny, grey, flat, smooth

pure n/a element

Copper Dull, brown, small, smooth

pure n/a element

Iron Grey, shiny, small

pure n/a element

Sulfur Smelly, dull, yellow

pure n/a element

Crime Scene Wrap

Shiny, grey, small

pure n/a element

Data (continued)Powder Observatio

nsPure or Mixture

Homogeneous or Heterogeneous

Element or Compound

Sucrose Coarse, white

mixture homo n/a

Baking Soda

Clumped, white, powdery

mixture homo n/a

Sodium Polyacrylate

Coarse, white

mixture homo n/a

Ascorbic Acid

Orange-white, clumped

mixture homo n/a

Sodium Chloride

Coarse, white

mixture homo n/a

Crime Scene Powder

Coarse, white

mixture homo n/a

Data (continued)Hot Dog Observatio

nsPure or Mixture

Homogeneous or Heterogeneous

Element or Compound

Pork Skin colored, smooth

mixture homo n/a

Light Pork Brown-orange, smooth

mixture homo n/a

Fat Free Light brown, smooth

mixture homo n/a

Crime Scene Hot Dog

Skin colored, smooth

mixture homo n/a

Data (continued)Drinks Density Conductivi

tyColor Odor Flammabil

ityChemical

Water 1 high clear nothing non no

Alcohol Less than 1

low clear bitter yes no

Salt Water More than 1

very high clear nothing non no

Vinegar Less than 1

high clear sour non yes

Grape Drink

More than 1

very high purple grape scent

non yes

Lemonade with Pulp

More than 1

high yellow lemonade scent

non yes

Crime Scene Liquid

1 high clear nothing non no

Data (continued)

Wrap Malleability

Luster Density Conductivity

Reactivity

Zinc yes yes 1.8 g/ml very high no

Sulfur no no 1.75 g/ml none no

Plastic yes med 0.2 g/ml none no

Iron yes yes 3 g/ml very high yes

Aluminum yes yes 2 g/ml high somewhat

Copper somewhat no 3 g/ml very high no

Crime Scene Wrap

yes yes 3 g/ml very high yes

Data (continued)Powder Solubility Melting Conductivi

tyReactivity Flammabil

ity

Ascorbic Acid no yes medium no no

Sodium Chlorine yes no high no no

Sucrose yes yes low no no (yellowed a bit)

Baking Soda yes no very high yes no

Sodium Polyacrylate no (water was absorbed)

no very high Yes (it hardens)

no

Crime Scene Powder yes yes low no no

Data (continued)

Hot Dog Pre-squeeze mass

Post-squeeze mass

conductivity

density reactivity

Pork 8.9 g 8.5 g high 1.001 g/ml

yes (blackened)

Light Pork 11.7 g 10.8 g light 1.063 g/ml

no

Fat Free 9.6 g 8 g high 1.06 g/ml yes (blackened)

Crime Scene Mass

9.2 g 8.5 g high 1.001 g/ml

yes (blackened)

Data (continued)

Density in g/ml

0.970.980.99

11.011.021.031.041.051.061.07

Pork FatFree

LightPork

CrimeSceneLiquid

Hot Dogs

Conclusion The student’s hypothesis was incorrect; Lord Voldemort

did not poison Buzz Lightyear, as my data shows. The student now knows that if the properties of Ariel’s items are the same as the properties of the items found at the crime scene, then it was she who poisoned Buzz, as that means it was her items found at the crime scene. The student was right about how, ”if certain items’ properties match the crime scene items’ properties, then that person is guilty,” as Ariel’s items match the crime scene items, making her guilty. An interesting point in the data is that the crime scene materials’ properties didn’t exactly match with Ariel’s, but were close enough so that they were her items. The student attributes this to the laws of unpredictability.

Conclusion (continued) Some of the limitations of the student’s equipment were that the

student couldn’t squeeze all of the juice out of a hot dog with a paper towel. Furthermore, the student could not figure out the exact density of the crime scene wrap, as the mass scale recorded it as zero grams. However, the student knew that the other properties matched iron, so we recorded the density as about the same. Since this student’s experiment was to simply discover who tried to murder Buzz Lightyear, the student can only think of one other experiment: What did the suspect poison Buzz with? This student discovered the following facts about hydrochloric acid, the acid used to discover an object’s reactivity, ” Hydrochloric Acid… is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid… is one of the least hazardous strong acids to handle.“ The student found this out here:

Hydrochloric Acid, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. September 26th 2010, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrochloric acid

The End