Metal Gases

In science we put metals in acids and bases to see the gases they produced with the help of fire.

The first gas tested for was hydrogen doing the pop test, a burning splint inserted into a test tube full of hydrogen to produce a pop sound. By adding a strip of magnesium to a test tube containing acid and holding a bigger boiling tube over top you can collect hydrogen to pop. But note the chemical reaction in the test tube will heat up.

The second was oxygen, adding magnesium dioxide to hydrogen peroxide, a base, created oxygen. The oxygen was tested for by placing a recently blown out splint in the test tube to see if it would relight.

And finally third was carbon dioxide in what i like to call the smother test. Adding together acid and a metal carbonate will produce carbon dioxide, which can be tested by inserting a burning splint. If the splint goes out you have carbon dioxide, it smothers flames and is used in fire extinguishers.