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Oxygen production and properties
Chemistry

Oxygen production and properties

To demonstrate a method of generating oxygen by means of a chemical reaction that does not involve electrolysis.

Preparing and testing gases
oxygen; gas preparation; combustion

What students learn

The science behind this experiment

Oxygen is a colourless, odourless gas which makes up 21% of the atmosphere. It is fundamental for life on earth and plays an important role during combustion as the oxidising agent. Electrolysis of water is one route to this gas, but it can also be produced by chemical reactions.

Equipment used

  • Test tubes — 1473.60
  • Iron stand — 5404.51
  • Universal clamp — 5416.20
  • Right angle clamp — 5401.16
  • Alcohol burner — 5514.10
  • One-holed rubber stopper for test tube — 5450.72
  • Right angle bent glass delivery tube — 1468.07

Chemicals and reagents

  • Potassium manganate(VII) (permanganate) — R:8-22-50/53 S:60-61
  • Sulphur powder — R:11-16 S:41

Safety notes

  • Take care when using the burner and hot glassware.

Questions for students

  • Record your observations and explain what happens as the manganate(VII) is heated.
  • Record your observations on putting in the glowing splint.

What to expect

<p>Heating the potassium manganate(VII) (permanganate) causes it to decompose as described in the following reaction: 4 KMnO4 → 2K2O + 4 MnO2 + 3 O2.</p><p>The oxygen can be collected in a test tube.</p><p>The glowing splint relights because there is a greater percentage of oxygen in the test tube than in air. The glowing splint may become slightly brighter also even when the test tube is kept vertical.</p><p>This shows that much of the oxygen remains in the test tube. It is approximately the same density as air and so diffuses.</p>

Disposal

Dispose of the residues into the solid wastes container.

Run this experiment in your classroom

This experiment is part of the ATP Mobile Lab — a self-contained laboratory that turns an ordinary classroom into a working science lab, with over 200 experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, robotics and engineering. Gali, the AI tutor built into ATP Connect, guides students through each step and answers their questions at the bench.

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