Chemistry 20 (SOLUTIONS) – Techniques for Qualitative Analysis

Ion Colour in Solution (Look on your data sheet for different colours
 Aqueous solutions of ionic compounds of certain cations and anions have distinct solution colours
 Due to different ions absorbing different wavelengths of light

Flame Tests Look on your data sheet for different flame colours
 Many metal ions produce a distinct colour of flame when they are heated
 Electrons absorb thermal energy to become thermally excited – will emit visible light in different colours as the
electrons move from higher energy levels to lower energy levels

Selective Precipitation Reactions

 A term for a double replacement reaction in solution that produces a solid product (PRECIPITATE)
 Chemists add dissolved substances to unknown solutions and observe whether a precipitate forms – the
observations help them infer which ions must have been present in the unknown solution

This illustration shows the idea behind using precipitation reactions for identifying ions in an aqueous solution. At each
stage, the colour of the solution is observed and the resulting precipitate is removed (filtered out). Flame tests can be
used to help identify the precipitates.

Litmus Paper
 Acids will turn blue litmus paper RED, Bases will turn red litmus paper BLUE
 Neutral substances will not affect litmus paper

Conductivity
 Highly soluble ionic compounds (including bases) and acidic compounds are ELECTROLYTES – conductive
 Most molecular compounds are NON-ELECTROLYTES – non-conductive
 QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS PRE-LAB PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Use the following table to answer the next question
Solution Red Litmus Blue Litmus Conductivity
1 Red Blue None
2 Red Red High
3 Red Blue High
4 Blue Blue High
1. Which of the solutions labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4 is hydrobromic acid, sodium nitrate, lithium hydroxide, and methanol?
Solution 1: _______________________
Solution 2: _______________________
Solution 3: _______________________
Solution 4: _______________________
2. Use the following list to match the correct solution with the results of qualitative testing: CaS, CH 3COOH, LiNO3,
C2H5OH, NaOH, CaCl2
1. Conducts, litmus turns 2. Conducts, no change in litmus, yellow-red flame, 3. Does not conduct, no change in litmus
from blue to red, pH < 7 when Al(NO3)3 was added a precipitate was formed

4. Conducts, red flame, no 5. conducts, litmus turns from red to blue, pH > 7 6. Conducts, no change in litmus, yellow-
change in litmus red flame, when Al(NO3)3 was added no
precipitate was formed

3. How could you tell the difference between the following solutions just by looking at them?
a. FeCl3(aq) and FeCl2(aq)
b. Cr(NO3)3(aq) and Cr(NO3)2(aq)
c. K2Cr2O7(aq) and K2CrO4(aq)
d. MnCl2(aq) and KMnO4(aq)
4. For each pair of solutions below, decide on an ionic solution that could be used to selectively precipitate one of the
solutions in each pair (but not the other). Underline the solution that you would expect to form a precipitate with
the solution that you select.
a. NaNO3(aq) and Ca(NO3)2(aq)

b. AgClO3(aq) and NaClO3(aq)

5. A solution which contains only one of the following cations: Ca2+, Cu+, or Sr2+ is tested with various reagents and the
following results are obtained:

Reagent Results Which cation is present in the solution?

0.2M Na2SO4 No precipitate
0.2M NaBr Precipitate
0.2M NaNO3 No precipitate

6. A solution which contains only one of the following anions: OH- , SO42- , or Cl- is tested with various reagents and the
following results are obtained:

Reagent Results Which anion is present in the solution?

0.2M AgNO3 precipitate
0.2M Fe(NO3)2 Precipitate
0.2M NaNO3 No precipitate
 Chemistry 20 (SOLUTIONS) – Sequential Qualitative Analysis

Write the sequential analysis for how you would determine the identities of the following 7 substances in the space
below. Then using the observations on the back side of the page, match the unknowns with the substances

Chromium (III) chloride

Sodium hydroxide
Glucose
Ammonium nitrate
Ammonium sulphate
Barium chloride
Calcium hydroxide
 Solution A Solution B Solution C Solution D
Green coloured solution Colourless solution Colourless solution Colourless solution
Soluble Soluble Soluble
Will conduct electricity Will not conduct electricity Will conduct electricity
Red litmus paper will turn Orange flame
blue Red litmus will stay red
Forms precipitate in
precipitate reaction
Solution E Solution F Solution G
Colourless solution Colourless solution Colourless solution
Insoluble Soluble Soluble
Will conduct electricity Will conduct electricity
Red litmus will stay red Orange flame
Yellow-green flame Red litmus will stay red
Forms no precipitate in
precipitate reaction

Solution A:

Solution B:

Solution C:

Solution D:

Solution E:

Solution F:

Solution G: