Precipitation Reactions

A precipitation reaction is a chemical reaction between two soluble salts where one of the products is an insoluble
salt (a precipitate).

Examples
lead nitrate + sodium iodide  lead iodide + sodium nitrate
(soluble) (soluble) (insoluble) (soluble)

Describe what you observed when the lead nitrate solution was added to the sodium iodide solution. How did you
know a reaction had occurred? How did you know an insoluble salt had been formed?
The lead nitrate turned yellow after we added potassium iodine. The change in color showed us that
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
a reaction has occurred. We know that insoluble salt has formed because we mixed two substances
and a solution has formed at the botton of the
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

A precipitation reaction can be carried out between silver nitrate and sodium chloride.

Fill in the flow chart to show how you could obtain the insoluble salt.
Silver nitrate and sodium chloride
are mixed and passed Put the solution in a
through a filter paper
to a beaker petri dish Water will disoslve
and insoluble salt will
be left

Fill in the gaps in the chemical equation.

silver chloride
silver nitrate + sodium chloride  ……………………………………………….. sodium nitrate
+ …………………………………………….

Use the solubility rules in the table below to work out which of the two products is the insoluble salt (precipitate).
silver chloride
Insoluble salt ……………………………………………………….

Soluble Insoluble

All sodium, potassium and ammonium salts none

All nitrates none
Most chlorides, bromides and iodides Lead chloride, bromide and iodide
Silver chloride, bromide and iodide
Most sulfates Barium, calcium and lead sulfates
Sodium, potassium and ammonium carbonates Most carbonates
Sodium, potassium and ammonium hydroxides Most hydroxides