 In a acid-base reaction, a salt is formed when

a metallic ion or an ammonium ion replaces

one or more hydrogen ions in an acid.
 E.g.
Zinc hydroxide + sulfuric acid  zinc sulfate + water
Zn(OH)2 (s) + H2SO4 (aq)  ZnSO4 (aq) + H20 (l)

Zn2+ comes from

the base, Zn(OH)2 ZnSO4 SO42- comes from
sulfuric acid, H2SO4
Two factors to consider…

 Is the salt soluble in water?

 Are the starting materials soluble in water?

 Soluble Salts Insoluble Salts
All Sodium
All Potassium
All Ammonium
All Nitrates
All Chlorides Lead(II)
except
Silver
All Sulfates Barium
except Calcium
Lead
Potassium
Sodium except All Carbonates
Ammonium
Potassium
Sodium except Hydroxides and Oxides
Ammonium
 Methods of preparing salts
Yes No

Is the starting material

for making the salt
Yes soluble in water? No

Titration method Reaction with acids

• Acid + alkali solution • Acid + excess metal *
• Acid + carbonate solution • Acid + excess insoluble base
• Acid + insoluble carbonate 1. Concentrating
2. Crystallizing
3. Filtering

Salt solution Salt crystals

(dry with filter paper)
 All insoluble salts can be prepared by
precipitation.
  Aqueous solutions of two suitable soluble
salts are mixed.
Eg. Prepare lead(II) sulfate
SO42- comes from
Pb comes from
PbSO4
2+

soluble lead(II) salt sulfuric acid, H2SO4 or

any soluble sulfate
 The insoluble salt appears as a precipitate and
can be obtained by filtration.
 Methods of preparing salts
Yes No

Is the starting material

for making the salt
Yes soluble in water? No

Titration method Reaction with acids with insoluble substances

• Acid + alkali solution • Acid + excess metal *
• Acid + carbonate solution • Acid + excess insoluble base
• Acid + insoluble carbonate 1. Concentrating
2. Crystallizing
3. Filtering

Salt solution Salt crystals

(dry with filter paper)
1. We react the acid Reason:
with an excess of the This ensures that all the
substance (MCB). acid is used up.
The reaction is complete.

2. The substance Reason:

(MCB) must also be This allows the excess
insoluble in water. (unreacted) substance
to be filtered from the
salt solution produced.
E.g. Prepare zinc sulfate
1. Think of the relevant starting materials.
Zn2+ comes from
the metal, Zn ZnSO4 SO42- comes from
sulfuric acid, H2SO4
Zinc + Sulfuric acid  Zinc Sulfate + Hydrogen

Zn(s) + H2SO4(aq)  ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)

 To ensure that the sulfuric acid
is completely used up (Why?)

To ensure that
the unreacted
zinc does not
contaminate the
Salts

combine with By heating to dryness, ZnSO4 will lose salt formed

water

molecules to
its water of crystallisation
form crystals
Potassium It is not suitable for reactive metals such as
Sodium potassium, sodium and calcium. They react
Calcium violently with acids.

Magnesium*
Aluminium* This method is suitable for moderately
Zinc* reactive metals such as magnesium,
Iron aluminium, zinc, iron and lead.
Lead

Copper It is not suitable for unreactive metals such as copper

Silver and silver. These metals do not react with dilute acids.
 Methods of preparing salts
Yes No

Is the starting material

for making the salt
Yes soluble in water? No

Titration method Reaction with acids with insoluble substances

• Acid + alkali solution • Acid + excess metal *
• Acid + carbonate solution • Acid + excess insoluble base
• Acid + insoluble carbonate 1. Concentrating
2. Crystallizing
3. Filtering

Salt solution Salt crystals

(dry with filter paper)
E.g. Prepare copper sulfate
1. Think of the relevant starting materials.
Cu2+ comes from
the insoluble base CuSO4 SO42- comes from
sulfuric acid, H2SO4
Copper(II) oxide + Sulfuric acid  Copper (II) Sulfate + Water

CuO(s) + H2SO4(aq)  CuSO4(aq) + H2O(l)

 To ensure that the
sulfuric acid is
completely used up
(Why?)
To ensure that the
unreacted CuO does
not contaminate the
By heating to dryness, salt formed
CuSO4 will lose its
water of crystallisation.
 In the making of copper(II) sulfate, why is
copper not used to react with sulfuric acid?

This method is used to prepare metal salts

whose metal is not too reactive.
 Methods of preparing salts
Yes No

Is the starting material

for making the salt
Yes soluble in water? No

Titration method Reaction with acids with insoluble substances

• Acid + alkali solution • Acid + excess metal *
• Acid + carbonate solution • Acid + excess insoluble base
• Acid + insoluble carbonate 1. Concentrating
2. Crystallizing
3. Filtering

Salt solution Salt crystals

(dry with filter paper)
In the preparation of soluble salt, what
happens if the solid reactant is soluble
in water?

How can we tell if the acid has

completely neutralised?

We use the method TITRATION!

Use of indicator help identify that the acid has
been completely used up.
 Suitable for preparing sodium, potassium,
ammonium salts. (Why?)

 Find your end point with the help of a

suitable indicator then repeat experiment
without indicator to get a pure salt sample.