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What is the best method to classify a chemical substance?, Aim: The aim of…

- - - - acidic, alkaline or neutral.
        
        PH tests need to be done in liquid state, therefore materials need to be melted or cooled to reach liquid state
        
        Limitation to this method: Some elements/substances may be too hot or too cold to measure pH with the provided equipment, plus it won't be an effective way to classify it since there won't be much relation between substaces.
    - - metallic, ionic or covalent (molecular and network) bonds
        
        Finding what type of bonds the substance may have may be a good way of classifying the substance since bonds will give substances certain characteristics that can be tested such as these mentioned.
    - - Liquid, solid, gaseous
        
        This can be easily tested but it won't give us much information on the substance itself, therefore it might not be an ideal way to classify the substance by its room temperature state.
    - - Condensed Formulas
      - Skeletal structures
      - Kekulé Formulas
        
        A limitation to finding the structure of the unknown substance is the lack of information provided, to find the structure, we must at least know what elements are present. Overall, this won't be an effective way to classify a chemical substance with the resources and knowledge provided.
    - - Compound
      - Mixture
        
        These three categories are the very definition of a substance, this could be a good option but it won't give us much information about the substance itself. Further research would be required in order to know the substances definite characteristics.
      - Pure element
- - - - Metallic bonds are not soluble, ionic and covalent can be
    - - Metallic compounds can be malleable, ionic and covalent cannot.
    - - Metallic compounds can be Lustrous, ionic and covalent are not.
        
        This is usually tested when it is polished, if the object is not polished then this test won't be effective.
    - - Metallic bonds conduct electricity in solid state, ionic and covalent do not.
        But, ionic bonds can conduct electricity while they are disolved because of free electrons
    - - Covalent and ionic compounds are both brittle, metallic compounds are sturdy
    - - Covalent molecules have a melting point of less than 200 most of the time while others is higher.
        
        Since it is inconsistent, it is best to avoid this test. Plus, there is a major limitation where heat cannot be controlled on school Bunsen burners.
  - - - These 3 tests can be done to determine a pure element since pure elements have definite melting and boiling points
  - - - These tests are not accessible with provided equipment, therefore it is not a viable method