Test for the Presence of Oxygen

 Aim: To carry out a test for the presence of oxygen gas (O2)

Equipment: A pea-sized amount of manganese dioxide (MnO2), boiling tube, bottle of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), safety glasses, wooden splint, bunsen burner (if not using a lighter instead), test tube rack.

Method: 

1. Light your bunsen burner (if not using a lighter instead).

2. Add the manganese dioxide to the boiling tube and place it in your test tube rack.

3. Add 2 mL of hydrogen peroxide.

4. Light a splint and let it burn for a while.

5. Blow the splint out and insert the glowing embers into the mouth of the boiling tube

Results: When I blew the wooden splint out and put it into the head of the boiling tube it had set the wooden splint back on fire.

Discussion: When I blew the wooden splint out and put it into the head of the boiling tube it had set the wooden splint back on fire. (The same as the results)

Conclusion: It did work however next time I wouldn’t put the splint in the boiling tube as slow as I did, next time I’ll put it in straight away instead of waiting a few seconds then putting it in the tube.