Teacher Guide: Mystery Powder Analysis: Learning Objectives

Teacher Guide: Mystery Powder Analysis
Learning Objectives
Students will…
 Use a variety of tests to determine the properties and composition of five known
substances (baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, gelatin, and salt).
 Use the same tests to identify unknown substances.
 Use the same tests to determine the composition of unknown mixtures of two or three
known substances.
Vocabulary
Biuret test, iodine test, litmus test, vinegar test
Lesson Overview
When a crime occurs, a group of police detectives called
crime scene investigators (CSIs) go over every inch of the
crime scene, gathering evidence and taking pictures. Later
the evidence is processed in a forensics laboratory.
Anything from fingerprints to a mysterious powder found on
a suspect’s shoe could prove crucial in solving the crime.
In the Mystery Powder Analysis Gizmo, students use four

tests to determine the composition of various mystery
powders. Some powders contain only one ingredient, while
others are mixtures of several ingredients.
Two of the tests available in the
The Student Exploration sheet contains two activities:
 Activity A – Students use four tests to determine the properties of baking powder, baking
soda, cornstarch, gelatin, and salt.
 Activity B – Students use the same tests to identify mystery powders.
Suggested Lesson Sequence
1. Pre-Gizmo activity ( 20 – 40 minutes)

All four of the tests shown in the Gizmo are easy to do in the classroom. Bring in the five
mystery powders: baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, powdered gelatin, and salt.
You can use litmus paper or any pH paper for pH. For the Biuret test you will need Biuret
solution, available from science supply companies. (CAUTION: Biuret solution should
not be swallowed or allowed to contact the skin or eyes. Follow all safety information.)
Common vinegar can be used, and iodine solution is available in any drugstore.
Salt is identified by its coarse texture and lack of reactivity to any solution. Baking soda
has a basic pH and bubbles in vinegar. Iodine solution turns dark purple when mixed
with a starch such as cornstarch. Biuret solution turns purple in the presence of a protein
such as gelatin. Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda, cornstarch, and a powdered
acid. Baking powder turns iodine purple, has a neutral pH, and bubbles in any liquid.
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2. Prior to using the Gizmo ( 10 – 15 minutes)
Before students are at the computers, pass out the Student Exploration sheets and ask
students to complete the Prior Knowledge Questions. Discuss student answers as a
class, but do not provide correct answers at this point. Afterwards, if possible, use a
projector to introduce the Gizmo and demonstrate its basic operations. Demonstrate how
to take a screenshot and paste the image into a blank document.
3. Gizmo activities ( 15 – 20 minutes per activity)

Assign students to computers. Students can work individually or in small groups. Ask
students to work through the activities in the Student Exploration using the Gizmo.
Alternatively, you can use a projector and do the Exploration as a teacher-led activity.
4. Discussion questions ( 15 – 30 minutes)

As students are working or just after they are done, discuss the following questions:
 What test result indicates the presence of baking soda?
 What test result indicates the presence of cornstarch?
 What test result indicates the presence of gelatin?
 What test results indicate the presence of salt?
 What combination of test results indicates the presence of baking powder?
 What three ingredients are present in baking powder? How do you know?
 What are some other tests that could be used to identify mystery powders?
5. Follow-up activity: Crime scene investigators ( variable)

Set up a “crime scene” and have teams of students play the roles of crime scene
investigators and forensic scientists to solve the mystery. Students can collect evidence
(fingerprints, hair, fibers, footprints, mystery powders, handwriting, etc.) at the “crime
scene,” and then compare the evidence to samples collected from a variety of
“suspects.” Students can examine fibers under a microscope, make plaster casts of
footprints or tire prints, use chromatography to compare ink, and use chemical tests
such as the ones shown in the Mystery Powder Analysis Gizmo to identify powders.
Kits for this popular activity are widely available, or you can use your imagination to
create your own scene. See the Selected Web Resources on page 3 of this document
for more ideas.
Scientific Background
The four tests shown in the Mystery Powder Analysis Gizmo are based on the chemical
properties of five known substances: baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, gelatin, and salt.
The first indicator of the properties of a substance is its appearance. Gelatin and salt both have
a coarse texture, with visible grains. Baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch all have a fine
texture, meaning that the individual grains are too small to see with the naked eye.
Litmus powder is extracted from a variety of lichens found in northern Africa, Madagascar,
Norway, and California. Litmus is a pH indicator. Blue litmus paper turns red in acidic conditions,
and red litmus paper turns blue in alkaline (basic) conditions. If no color change is observed, the
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test solution is neutral. Baking soda is alkaline, gelatin is acidic, and the other substances
(baking powder, cornstarch, and salt) are neutral.
Vinegar contains an acid (acetic acid) that reacts with baking soda (NaHCO3), a carbonate, to
produce carbon dioxide. The reaction can be observed as bubbling (effervescence). Baking
powder, which contains baking soda, cornstarch and an acid salt, effervesces when added to
any liquid.
The Biuret test uses Biuret solution, a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and copper (II)
sulfate (CuSO4). When Biuret solution is exposed to protein, its color changes from blue to
violet. In the Mystery Powder Analysis Gizmo, only gelatin will show a positive test for protein.
The iodine test indicates the presence of starch. Part of a starch molecule forms a helical, or
spiral, structure. Iodine molecules gather within these spirals, resulting in a dark blue-violet
color. Cornstarch—and baking powder, which contains cornstarch—will show a positive result
for starch.
Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda, cornstarch and an acid salt such as cream of tartar.
When added to water, the baking soda and acid react to form bubbles of carbon dioxide. The
resulting solution is neutral. Because it contains cornstarch, baking powder also reacts with
iodine.
In the Mystery Powder Analysis Gizmo, there is a standard set of 15 unknown powders. The
tubes in the front row (1-5) all contain one substance. The tubes in the second row (6-10) all
contain two substances, and the tubes in the third row (11-15) all contain three substances.
Once the New sample button is clicked, the number of substances in each tube stays the
same, but the substances are randomized. Two new substances are also used in these sets:
 Talc is neutral and does not react with vinegar, Biuret solution, or iodine solution. It is
distinguished from salt by its fine texture.
 Detergent is alkaline and does not react with vinegar, Biuret solution, or iodine solution.
To get back to the standard mystery set, hit Refresh or Restart on your web browser.
Selected Web Resources

Baking powder: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm
Gelatin: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Gelatin.html
Mystery powder lab activities: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2176,
http://www.cfep.uci.edu/cspi/docs/lessons_secondary/Mystery%20Powder.pdf
Crime scene lesson plans: http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/crime.html
http://www.connectedcalifornia.org/files/LJCrimeSceneInvestigation_FullUnit.pdf
Crime scene web adventure: http://forensics.rice.edu/
Related Gizmos:
Identifying Nutrients: http://www.explorelearning.com/gizmo/id?452
DNA Fingerprint Analysis: http://www.explorelearning.com/gizmo/id?406
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What are the four tests used to identify mystery powders?

What substances are indicated by each test?

Teacher Guide: Mystery Powder Analysis

In the Mystery Powder Analysis Gizmo, students use four

Suggested Lesson Sequence

1. Pre-Gizmo activity ( 20 – 40 minutes)

3. Gizmo activities ( 15 – 20 minutes per activity)

4. Discussion questions ( 15 – 30 minutes)

5. Follow-up activity: Crime scene investigators ( variable)

Selected Web Resources

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