Scribd
Upload
46 views2 pages

Testing For The Presence of Different Substances (Revised Feb 2020)

The document describes tests to identify different substances including hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bromide, iodide, ammonium, iron(II), oxidizing agents, and reducing agents. Specific chemical reactions and observed results are provided to identify each substance.

Uploaded by

Jason Chan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
46 views2 pages

Testing For The Presence of Different Substances (Revised Feb 2020)

The document describes tests to identify different substances including hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bromide, iodide, ammonium, iron(II), oxidizing agents, and reducing agents. Specific chemical reactions and observed results are provided to identify each substance.

Uploaded by

Jason Chan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Testing for the presence of different substances

Substances Positive results


Hydrogen Pop sound
Oxygen Relight a glowing splint
Carbon dioxide Turn limewater from colourless to milky Ca(OH)2(aq)+CO2(g)CaCO3(s)+H2O(l)
(Carbonate ion) (however, if CO2 is continue being added after the limewater turns milky, the solution
may turn from milky to colourless once again) CaCO3(s) +CO2(g)+H2O(l)Ca(HCO3)2(aq)
Water Turn dry cobalt(II) chloride paper from blue to pink
Turn anhydrous copper(II) sulphate from white to blue
CuSO4(s) + nH2O(l)  CuSO4●nH2O(s)

Potassium ion Give a lilac flame in the flame test (with non-luminous flame!!)
**Note: When applying flame tests, a non-luminous flame should always be used (i.e.
the air hole should be open), or else the yellow colour of luminous flame may mask
the flame from metal ion
Sodium ion Give a golden yellow flame in the flame test (with non-luminous flame!!)
Calcium ion Give a brick red flame in the flame test (with non-luminous flame!!)
Magnesium ion Give a dazzling white flame in the flame test (with non-luminous flame!!)
Chloride ion (Dissolve the solid sample). Add aqueous silver nitrate solution to the sample,
followed by excess dilute nitric acid. The appearance of a white precipitate (AgCl)
indicates the presence of chloride ion.
Bromide ion (Dissolve the solid sample). Add aqueous silver nitrate solution to the sample,
followed by excess dilute nitric acid. The appearance of a pale yellow precipitate
(AgBr) indicates the presence of bromide ion.
Iodide ion (Dissolve the solid sample). Add aqueous silver nitrate solution to the sample,
followed by excess dilute nitric acid. The appearance of a yellow precipitate (AgI)
indicates the presence of iodide ion.
Ammonium ion Upon heating of ammonium compounds with aqueous hydroxide solution, ammonia
gas, the only alkaline gas, will be liberated, changing wet red litmus paper blue
Iron(II) ion K3Fe(CN)6(rust indicator) gives a blue colour
Oxidizing agent We may use KI(aq), a reducing agent, to test for oxidizing agents.
(oxidize others Result:
by undergoing  KI(aq) reacts to give a brown iodine solution, i.e. I2(aq)
reduction itself) (starch solution is also added so that a dark blue colour could be obtained)

c.f. I-(aq) is colourless whereas I2(aq) is brown


Reducing agent We may use oxidizing agents such as K2Cr2O7/H+ or KMnO4/H+ to test for reducing
(reduce others agents.
by undergoing Results:
oxidation itself)  K2Cr2O7/H+ changes from orange to green
 KMnO4/H+ changes from purple to colourless

You might also like