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4 - Qualitative Analysis WS
4 - Qualitative Analysis WS
4 - Qualitative Analysis WS
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
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)
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:
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:
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
Solution A:
Solution B:
Solution C:
Solution D:
Solution E:
Solution F:
Solution G: