Acids & Bases

Notes
Anion Test What happens if
anion is present?
Carbonate Add dilute hydrochloric Bubbles that give off gas
acid will turn limewater
milky white

Chloride Add the same volume of A white precipitate forms

nitric acid as chloride, add
aqueous silver nitrate

Nitrate Add sodium hydroxide, Ammonia gas is released

then alum which has a pungent
inium; then warm gently smell; damp red litmus
paper turns blue

Sulfate Add dilute sodium A white precipitate forms

hydroxide and then a
barium salt solution
(could be chloride or
nitrate)
Cation Test What happens if
cation is present?
Ammonium Add dilute sodium Ammonia gas is released
hydroxide, heat it which has a pungent
smell, damp red litmus
paper turns blue

Copper (II) Add dilute sodium A blue precipitate forms

hydroxide or ammonia
solution

Iron (II) Add dilute sodium A pale green precipitate

hydroxide or ammonia forms
solution

Iron (III) Add dilute sodium A red-brown precipitate

hydroxide or ammonia forms
solution

Zinc Add dilute sodium A white precipitate

hydroxide or ammonia forms
solution
 Salts Soluble Insoluble
S- Sodium ✓

N- Nitrate ✓

A- Ammonium ✓

P- Potassium ✓

Chlorides Most are soluble Ag & Pb

Sulfates Most are soluble Pb, Ba, and Ca

Carbonates Sodium, Ammonium Most are insoluble

Potassium (SAP salts)

Hydroxides Sodium, Ammonium Most are insoluble

Potassium (SAP salts)

Solubility of a salt test is used to decide the method of salt preparation.

Test for cations & anions is used to know which metals, non- metals or polyatomic
ions are present in the given unknown salt

Some cations can be directly identified using a flame test

Flame test for cations

Cations Color of the flame
Lithium Crimson Red

Sodium Yellow

Potassium Lilac

Copper Green
Acid + Base = Salt

Salt preparation methods

1. On the basis of product
SOLUBLE

On the basis of state of matter of reactants

When reacting substances are metal, metal oxides or a base in solid state
(CRYSTALLISATION)

1. Add acid in a conical flask

2. Add excess solid base (to use up the acid) to the acid
(Base 》 Metal, Metal Oxide or Metal carbonate)
3. Reaction takes place
4. Filter the unreacted solid/residue, filtrate is salt solution
5. Heat the filtrate till crystals are formed
6. Wash off the crystals with distilled water to remove impurities
7. Pat dry with filter paper/ Leave it to dry

When the reactants both are in liquid state

(TITRATION)

1. Acid in burette, and base in conical flask

2. Add indicator to conical flask
3. Color of the base changes
4. Run the acid drop by drop to the base by constant swirling
5. When all the base is reacted with the acid, Color changes in the conical flask
6. Mark the end point
 7. Repeat the experiment without the indicator in the conical flask
8. Stop the acid & base titration at the recorded end point
9. Crystallise the salt solution and leave it to dry

INSOLUBLE

Precipitation method
1. Mix the reactants
2. Precipitate will be formed
3. Filter the mixture
4. Collect the residue
5. Leave it to dry