Context

Organic Chemistry refers to the study of carbon compounds and their wide range of applications. In fact, all living beings are basically formed by organic compounds. Therefore, the relevance of this field of study is undeniable and transcends various areas of knowledge, from medicine to materials engineering.

Understanding the physical properties of organic compounds is essential to comprehend the behavior of these compounds in different environments and situations. This will allow you to predict how these compounds interact with other elements, such as water and gases, and how these interactions can be leveraged in various applications ranging from creating medications from these compounds to producing more sustainable bioplastics.

The project we will present next was designed to enable you to learn about this important topic in a practical, collaborative, and in-depth manner, while having fun and developing socio-emotional skills, such as the ability to work in a team and manage time.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: Identification and Analysis of the Physical Properties of Organic Compounds

Project Objective

This project aims to stimulate students to thoroughly investigate the physical properties of various organic compounds (solubility, boiling point, melting point, density, and related intermolecular interactions) and understand how these properties influence the behavior of these compounds in different contexts.

Detailed Project Description

Students, divided into groups of 3 to 5 people, will carry out a series of experiments in the laboratory to evaluate the physical properties of some pre-selected organic compounds. A discussion about the reasons behind these properties and their applications in real contexts will follow. Each group must record their findings and insights in a detailed final report.

This project should take approximately 16 hours to be completed by each participating student and will involve concepts of Organic Chemistry, Scientific Methodology, and some Mathematics in interpreting the data obtained.

Required Materials

1. Selected organic compounds (e.g., ethyl alcohol, acetone, ethyl ether, glycerin, cooking oil, vaseline)
2. Graduated cylinders
3. Pipettes
4. Chromatography tanks
5. Chromatography solvents (e.g., distilled water, hexane, ethanol)
6. Stopwatch
7. Precision balances
8. Heating plate
9. Melting point and boiling point apparatus
10. Glass slide

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution

1. Research the physical properties of organic compounds and the solubility rules, as well as the possible applications and impacts of such compounds in the real world.

2. Based on the research conducted, formulate hypotheses about how each organic compound will behave in the physical properties tests. Record these hypotheses.

3. Conduct the experiments in the laboratory following the appropriate safety standards to evaluate the physical properties of the selected organic compounds.

4. Carefully record the results after each experiment.

5. Analyze the results of the experiments, comparing them with the initial hypotheses.

6. Discuss in the group the possible reasons for any discrepancies between the hypotheses and the experimental results.

7. Prepare a detailed final report, following the specified format, where you should present your findings and discussions.

Project Deliverables

After completing the practical part of the project, students must write a document in the form of a scientific report, which will include:

1. Introduction: Presentation of the project context, its relevance, practical applications of the analyzed organic compounds, and the study objective.

2. Development: Detailed explanation of the theory of organic compounds, a detailed description of the methodology used, presentation of the results obtained, and discussions around them.

3. Conclusion: Review of the main points of the project, lessons learned, and conclusions based on the results. Here, students should revisit their initial hypotheses and discuss how the results of the experiments supported or refuted these hypotheses.

4. Bibliography: References to the resources used during the project, including books, websites, videos, among others.

This report will allow students to solidify and demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts learned during the project, as well as develop their written communication skills and critical thinking.