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Mystery solutions

A, B and C are a carbonate, an iodide and an ammonium salt. Which is which?

Topic: Identifying substancesGrade: 10Free

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What you do

  1. Plan: acid → fizzing? Silver nitrate → coloured precipitate? NaOH + heat → ammonia? Start testing.
  2. Identify A (an iodide gives a yellow precipitate).
  3. Identify B (ammonium: NaOH, warm, damp red litmus).
  4. Identify C (carbonate: acid, then limewater).

More experiments on this topic

Flame testsEach metal ion gives the flame its own colour.Testing for chloride ionsSilver nitrate gives a white precipitate only where chloride ions are present.Chloride, bromide or iodide?Silver nitrate gives three different precipitate colours.Coloured precipitatesIdentify metal ions from the colour of their hydroxides, and sulfate with barium.Testing for ammonium ionsWarm with sodium hydroxide and test the gas.Making oxygen by heatingHeat potassium permanganate and test the gas.