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24 views3 pages

04 QualitativeTesting

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Diamond
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IGCSE Chemistry (2.37 - 2.39 & 2.

26/7) Qualitative Analysis - Tests Revision Notes 4

Qualitative versus Quantitative Analysis:


 Qualitative analysis involves tests to show the constituent elements or ions present in ‘unknown’
compounds.
 Quantitative analysis involves measurements and calculations to identify the precise amounts or
masses (quantities) of elements combined in compounds.

(2.37) Testing for Common Cations (+ve ions)

1. Flame Tests used to Identify Metal Ions:


 Metals change the colour of a flame when they are heated in it
 Different metals produce different coloured flames
 Flame tests involve using platinum or nichrome wire – cleaned in concentrated acid – dipped
in compound and held in a Bunsen flame
 Flame tests can identify which metal ions (cations) are present in a compound

Learn these results of Flame Tests:

Metal Cation Flame colour


+
Sodium (Na ) Persistent Bright Orange-Yellow

Potassium (K+) Lilac-pink (viewed through blue cobalt


glass to distinguish from Sodium)
Calcium (Ca2+) Short-lived Orange-red / Brick Red
Lithium (Li+) Deep Red / Crimson

2. Using Sodium Hydroxide Solution:


 Most metal hydroxides (except sodium & potassium) are insoluble
 A metal salt solution containing metal ions forms a precipitate when mixed with sodium
hydroxide solution
 The precipitates formed have distinctive, identifying colours
 Ammonium hydroxide is soluble – no precipitate – but ammonium salts will give off distinctive
ammonia gas – pungent smell – turns damp red litmus paper blue

Learn the results of these Sodium Hydroxide Tests:

Precipitate Colour Ion Identified Equations


Cu2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq)  Cu(OH)2(s)
Blue Copper II (Cu2+)
e.g. CuSO4(aq) + 2NaOH(aq)  Cu(OH)2(s) + Na2SO4(aq)
Fe3+(aq) + 3OH-(aq)  Fe(OH)3(s)
Orange-brown Iron III (Fe3+)
e.g. FeCl2(aq) + 3NaOH(aq)  Fe(OH)3(s) + 3NaCl(aq)
Green (turning brown Fe2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq)  Fe(OH)2(s)
2+
at the top as it oxidises Iron II (Fe ) e.g. FeSO4(aq) + 2NaOH(aq)  Fe(OH)2(s) + Na2SO4(aq)
to iron (III) hydroxide)

None – Smell of NH4+(s or aq) + OH-  NH3(g) + H2O(l)


Ammonia gas Ammonium
e.g. NH4Cl(s) + NaOH(aq)  NaCl(aq) + NH3(g) + H2O
(turns damp red litmus (NH4+)
paper blue)

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IGCSE Chemistry (2.37 - 2.39 & 2.26/7) Qualitative Analysis - Tests Revision Notes 4

(2.38) Testing for Common Anions (-ve ions)


1. Testing for Chlorides, Bromides & Iodides with Nitric Acid + Silver Nitrate:
 Silver chlorides, bromides & iodides are insoluble
 They produce distinctive coloured precipitates
 The nitric acid is added to react with & remove contaminants which may also produce
precipitates

Learn the results of these Silver Nitrate Tests:

Precipitate Colour Ion Identified Ionic Equations Note: These precipitates all turn
greyish in daylight.
White Chloride (Cl-) Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq)  AgCl(s) The Bromide & Iodide precipitates
Cream Bromide (Br-) Ag+(aq) + Br-(aq)  AgCl(s) are difficult to distinguish between –
further tests are beyond GCSE level.
Pale Yellow Iodide (I-) Ag+(aq) + I-(aq)  AgCl(s)
General word equation:
X Halide + Silver Nitrate  Silver Halide + X Nitrate – where X is any cation

2. Testing for Sulphates with Hydrochloric Acid + Barium Chloride:


 Barium sulphate is insoluble
 Any sulphate salt mixed with Barium Chloride will produce a distinctive white precipitate
 The hydrochloric acid is added to react with & remove contaminants (e.g. barium carbonate)
which may also produce white precipitates

Learn the Barium Chloride Test for Sulphates:


 Dissolve the suspected sulphate compound in pure water
 Add dilute Hydrochloric acid
 Add Barium Chloride solution
 White precipitate forms – sulphate ions confirmed

3. Testing for Carbonates with Nitric Acid:


 Adding a dilute acid to any solid carbonate produces Carbon Dioxide gas – identified using
limewater – turns milky
 Some acid-carbonate reactions produce insoluble salts the coat the carbonate – stopping the
reaction
 Nitric acid is used because all nitrate salts are soluble

Learn the Nitric Acid Test for Carbonates:


 Add Nitric Acid to the suspected solid carbonate
 Look for bubbles of gas – test the gas with limewater
 Limewater turns milky – presence of a carbonate is confirmed

General word equation:


Acid + Carbonate  Salt + Water + Carbon Dioxide

Ionic equation:
CO32-(s) + 2H+(aq)  CO2(g) + H2O(l)

For example:
Zinc Carbonate + Nitric Acid  Zinc Nitrate + Carbon Dioxide + Water
ZnCO3(s) + 2HNO3(aq)  Zn(NO3)2 + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

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IGCSE Chemistry (2.37 - 2.39 & 2.26/7) Qualitative Analysis - Tests Revision Notes 4

Collecting & Testing Gases – Remember the four gas collection Methods:
1. Upward Delivery – for gases less dense than air – upward displacement of air:

e.g. Hydrogen – less dense than air – can be collected by upward delivery from a
reaction in a test tube using an inverted test tube – only slightly soluble in water – can also be
collected over water.

e.g. Ammonia – less dense than air – highly soluble in water – cannot be collected over water – can
only be collected by upward delivery.

2. Downward Delivery – for gases denser than air – downward displacement of air:

e.g. Carbon dioxide – denser than air – can be ‘poured’ from reaction in a test
tube into an empty test tube – only slightly soluble in water – can also be collected over water.

e.g. Chlorine – denser than air – usually collected by downward delivery – green colour makes it
easy to see when test tube or gas jar is full – too soluble in water to be collected over water

3. Over Water – for gases that are insoluble in water – may be denser or less dense than air:

e.g. Oxygen – almost the same density as air – only slightly soluble in
water – usually collected over water.

– Hydrogen & Carbon dioxide can also be collected in this way

Chlorine can be collected in this way over concentrated salt solution – it is less soluble in salt
solution than water.

4. In a Gas syringe – used when the volume of the gas has to be measured:

– Density and solubility of the gas is irrelevant


– Used to measure the rate of gas production

(2.39) Learn the Tests for the FIVE Common Gases:

1. Hydrogen – A lighted splint – burns with a ‘pop’ – hydrogen is explosive – reacts with oxygen
(2.26) to produce water – 2H2(g) + O2(g)  2H2O(l) – highly exothermic – useful as a fuel

2. Oxygen – Re-lights a glowing splint – oxygen is necessary for combustion – things burn
much more brightly in pure oxygen than in air

3. Carbon – Turns limewater (calcium hydroxide solution) milky / cloudy / chalky – reacts
dioxide with the calcium hydroxide to form a fine precipitate of insoluble calcium carbonate
– Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g)  CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)

4. Ammonia – Has a distinctive pungent smell – the only alkaline gas at GCSE – turns damp red
litmus paper blue

5. Chlorine – Green colour – distinctive ‘swimming pool’ smell – bleaches damp litmus paper

Remember the tests for Water: Turns Anhydrous Copper Sulphate Powder - White to Blue
Turns Cobalt Chloride Paper - Blue to Pink

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