Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry: the tests

Molecules

Chemical or group Test or positive result

Ammonia (method) Use red litmus paper on the gas
Ammonia (result) Turns red to blue
Chlorine (method) Use damp blue litmus paper
Chlorine (result) Turns white (bleached)
Carbon dioxide (method) Bubble through limewater
Carbon dioxide (result) Turns cloudy
Oxygen (method) Put glowing splint into test tube of gas
Oxygen (result) Splint relights
Hydrogen Put splint in test tube of gas, squeaky pop sound
Water (presence) Add white anhydrous copper (II) sulphate
Water (result) Colour change is white to blue
Water (purity) Boils at 100C, melts at 1C
Alkenes Bubble into bromine water, brown to colourless

Positive ions
1. Clean a wire
Flame test method 2. Dip into the solid powder
3. Heat in a roaring flame
Li+ Red
Na+ Orange
K +
Lilac
Ca2+ Brick red
1. Add sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution
Transition metals test
2. Wait for precipitate which will be:
Cu2+ Blue precipitate of Cu(OH)2, copper (II) hydroxide
Fe2+ Green precipitate of Fe(OH)2, iron (II) hydroxide
Fe3+ Brown precipitate of Fe(OH)3, iron (III) hydroxide
1. Add sodium hydroxide, NaOH
Test for ammonia, NH4+
2. Do ammonia test on gas given off

Negative ions
1. Add dilute hydrochloric acid
Test for carbonates, CO32-
2. Do carbon dioxide test on gas given off
1. Add barium chloride and dilute HCl
Test for sulphate, SO42- 2. Positive result: white precipitate of BaSO4
3. HCl is to prevent alternative white ppts forming
1. Add silver nitrate, AgNO3, and HNO3, nitric acid
Test for halides
2. The HNO3 is to prevent alternative ppts forming
Cl- White precipitate of AgCl, silver chloride
Br- Cream precipitate of AgBr, silver bromide
I -
Yellow precipitate of AgI, silver iodide