Chemistry 2015

Chapter 8: Salts

Chapter 8 : Salts
8.1 Salt
1. A salt is an ionic compound that is formed when the ________________________ in an
__________ is replaced by a _________________ or an __________________________
2. Example of salts derived from each acid :
i) Hydrochloric acid, HCl NaCl, KCl, MgCl 2, FeCl3, ZnCl2
ii) Sulphuric acid, H2SO4 Na2SO4, K2SO4, MgSO4, CaSO4
iii) Nitric acid, HNO3 NaNO3, KNO3 , Mg(NO3)2 , Zn(NO3)2 , Ca(NO3)2 ,
3. Some uses of salts in daily life:
Salt

Uses

Food
1. Table salt (cooking salt) or sodium chloride, NaCl
2. Monosodium glutamate or MSG
3. NaCl, sodium benzoate, C6H5COONa
Medicine
1. Calcium sulphate sesquihydrate, 2 CaSO4.H2O
2. Magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH)2
3. Barium sulphate, BaSO4

Food flavouring
Food flavouring
Food
preservative
Plaster of Paris
Antacid
Barium meal for
patients

Agriculture
1. Ammonium sulphate, (NH4)2SO4, ammonium phosphate, (NH4)3PO4

Fertilisers

Industry
1. Tin(II) fluoride, SnF2
2. Sodium hypochlorite, NaClO3
3. Silver bromide, AgBr

Toothpaste
Bleaching agent
Photography

Chemistry 2015

Chapter 8: Salts

4. The solubility of salt in water depends on the types of cations & anions present as shown in
the table below.
Types of salt

Solubility in water

Sodium, potassium & ammonium

All are soluble

Nitrate salts

All are soluble

Chloride salts

All are soluble except :

i)
ii)
iii)

Sulphate salts

All are soluble except

i)
ii)
iii)

Carbonate salts

All are insoluble except

i)
ii)
iii)

Preparation of Salts
1. The methods of preparing salts depend on the _________________ of salts.
2. Soluble salts can be prepared by the reaction between an :
i) acid + ____________________
ii) acid + ____________________
iii) acid + ___________________
iv) acid + ___________________

Preparation of Soluble Salt :

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Chemistry 2015

Chapter 8: Salts

Soluble salts of sodium, potassium &

ammonium
Acid + ____________

Soluble salts which are not salts of sodium,

potassium & ammonium
acid + ____________
acid + __________________________
acid + _________________________

The cations of salts comes from

____________
The anions of salts come from _______

The cations of salts come from _________,

_____________________________ or
_____________________
The anions of salts come from _________

H2SO4 + 2NaOH Na2SO4 + 2H2O

i)
ii)
iii)

Na2SO4

MgSO4

3. Insoluble salts can be prepared through ______________________________ using

_________________________________________ reaction.
Precipitation Method
To supply cations
___________________ solutions
containing the cations are used because all
nitrate salts are soluble in water.

To supply anions
________________ or_______________
solutions containing the anions are used
because all sodium & potassium salts are
soluble in water.

Silver nitrate, AgNO3

Sodium chloride, NaCl

8.2 Qualitative Analysis of Salts

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Chemistry 2015

Chapter 8: Salts

1. Qualitative analysis is a series of tests conducted on a chemical substance to identify the

unknown component or components in it.
2. Through qualitative analysis, the cation and anion present in a salt are determined.
3. To identify the cation & anion in a salt, the following tests are usually conducted:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)

Colour of salts
Solubility in water
The effect of heat on the salt
Flame test
Tests for certain gases
Confirmatory test for ions - cations and anions

Test (i) and (ii) : Colour and solubility of salts

Solid
White

Aqueous solution
Colourless

Green

Insoluble

Light green

Light green

Blue

Blue

Brown

Brown

Black

Insoluble

Yellow when hot,

white when cold
Brown when hot,
yellow when cold

Insoluble

Salt/cation/metal oxide

Insoluble

Test (a) Confirmatory test for cations

1.

Confirmatory test for cations is carried out by adding a small amount of ammonia
solution, NH3 /sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution followed by excess ammonia
solution, NH3 /sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution
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Chemistry 2015

Chapter 8: Salts

Cations

Ammonia solution
Small amount
In excess

Sodium hydroxide solution

Small amount
In excess

K+
Na+
Ca2+
Mg2+
Zn2+
Al 3+
Pb2+
Fe2+
Fe3+
Cu2+
NH4+

2.

All cations can be identified with confirmatory test ammonia solution, NH3 /sodium
hydroxide, NaOH except Al3+ and Pb2+

3.

To differentiate between Al 3+ and Pb2+, aqueous solution of ______________________

is used to detect the presence of Al3+ and Pb2+
i)

Precipitate formed when _______________________________ solution is

added to Pb2+

ii)

No precipitate formed when ________________________________ solution is

added to Al 3+

b) Confirmatory test for anions (CO32- , Cl- , SO42- and NO3-)

Anions
CO32-

Procedure
-

Observation/Inferences

2 cm3 dilute hydrochloric

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Chemistry 2015

Chapter 8: Salts
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acid/nitric acid is added to 2 cm

solution of carbonate salt
The gas given out is pass through
lime water

Cl-

2 cm3 dilute nitric acid is added

to 2 cm3 solution of chloride salt
followed by 2 cm3of silver nitrate
solution

SO42-

2 cm3 dilute hydrochloric

acid/nitric acid is added to 2 cm3
solution of sulphate solution
followed by 2 cm3of barium
chloride/barium nitrate solution

2 cm3 dilute sulphuric acid is

added to 2 cm3 solution of nitrate
ions followed by iron (II) sulphate
solution.
The mixture is shaken
The test tube is slanted with a test
tube holder
A few drops of concentrated
sulphuric acid, H2SO4 is dropped
along the wall of the test tube
and is held upright

NO3