Name: Niobe Nottingham

Date: 11.03.24
Lab #: 22
Title: Analyzing substance Z
Aim: To determine the ions present in sample Z.

Apparatus and Materials:

● Sample Z
● Test tubes
● 6% H2O2
● Bench reagents - NH3(aq), NaOH, BaCl2, HCl
● Materials for testing gas
● White tile

Method:
1. To a few cm3 of sample Z in a test tube, aqueous sodium hydroxide was
added drop by drop until in excess.
2. To a few cm3 of sample Z in the 2nd test tube, aqueous ammonia was
added drop by drop until in excess.
3. To a few cm3 of sample Z in the 3rd test tube, H2O2 was added drop by
drop until there was no further change. The solution was kept for test 4.
4. To the solution from test 3, dilute hydrochloric acid was added followed
by barium chloride.
5. To a few cm3 of sample Z in the 4th test tube, a little nitric acid was added
followed by aqueous silver nitrate. Aqueous ammonia was then added.
Results:

TABLE SHOWING QUALITATIVE RESULTS OBTAINED

Test Observations Inference

1. To a few cm3 of Greyish - green Cr3+ ions present

sample Z, add precipitate. Soluble in
aqueous sodium excess
hydroxide drop by
drop until in excess.

2. To a few cm3 of Greyish - green Cr3+ ions present

sample Z, add precipitate. Insoluble in
aqueous ammonia excess
drop by drop until
in excess.

3. To a few cm3 of Yellow solution seen I2 ions present in solution

sample Z, add H2O2
drop by drop until
there is no further
change. (Keep
solution for test 4)

4. To the solution Orange or yellow - orange Ba2+ ions present

from test 3, add precipitate can be seen.
dilute hydrochloric
acid followed by
barium chloride.

5. To a few cm3 of White precipitate. Soluble Cl- ions present

sample Z, add a in NH3(aq)
little nitric acid
followed by
aqueous silver
nitrate. Then add
aqueous ammonia.

Discussion:
When sample Z was reacted with aqueous NaOH, the following reaction
occurred:

Cr3+(aq) + 3OH-(aq) → Cr(OH)3(s)

The above reaction is a precipitation reaction i.e when two soluble compounds,
typically aqueous solutions, react to form an insoluble solid compound, called
a precipitate. When H2O2 was added to sample Z, a yellow solution was seen. It
was deduced that the solution was this colour due to the I 2 ions present within
the solution. This is because when the H2O2 was added, it oxidized the I- ions:
2I−(aq)+H2O2(aq) → I2(aq)+2OH−(aq)
Based on tests 1 and 2, the cation present in sample Z can be deduced as Cr 3+.
Both tests produced the same observation, greyish - green precipitate,
indicating the consistent presence of Cr3+ ions. Based on the results from test 5,
the anion present in sample Z can be determined as Cl -. The formation of a
white precipitate upon the addition of silver nitrate followed by the solubility
of the precipitate in aqueous ammonia strongly suggests the presence of Cl-
ions.

Precautions:
1. Ensure to label test tubes to avoid contamination.
2. Measure the same amount of sample Z for all tests.

Source of Error: Some ions or compounds present in the sample or reagents

may interfere with the intended reactions, leading to misleading results.

Reflection: In forensic investigations, qualitative analysis techniques are used

to analyze trace evidence found at crime scenes. By identifying ions and
compounds present in substances such as powders, liquids, and residues,
forensic scientists can provide evidence to support criminal investigations.
Also, in clinical chemistry, qualitative analysis is used to identify ions and
compounds present in biological samples such as blood, urine, and tissue
samples. This information is valuable for diagnosing diseases, monitoring
patient health, and assessing the effectiveness of treatments.

Conclusion: The ions present in sample Z were found to be Cl- and Cr3+.