[ozzlomo]

I have a Yellow organic compound with an unknown idenity (for now). I'm planning on performing physical properties tests (melting point, boiling point, etc) and wanted to know if anyone can identify this compound based on the color. I am the only one in my lab class with a yellow unknown. Thanks in advance for anyone's help.

[Sam (NG)]

From the colour, it could be anything.  What level of chemistry are you studying?  Are there any other characterisation techniques you know how to perform?

[Ida Isotope]

Can you describe it further? Liquid, solid, powder, chunks, etc.

Also do you get a list of what it could be?

I don't know from your description.  

[ozzlomo]

It is in what appears to be small crystals. Bright Yellow. I'm studying First year, first semester organic chemistry. I'm suppose to perform a melting point test on the solid. That's all I know right now.

[Sam (NG)]

To be quite honest, colour is useless as a determinant of an unknown organic compound.  Melting point is not much better as it can only confirm that you have the compound that you expect, but there are so many different compounds with different melting points that to try and determine an unknown by performing a melting point determination would be considered a futile effort by most.

Can you not at least perform an IR spectrum? or does the lab specifically limit you to certain methods of analysis?