128 Part 9

Chapter 37 Detection of Substances

A. Multiple Choice Questions solution is added, the white

precipitate dissolves to form a
1. A. (1) and (2) only colourless solution.
2. D. Zinc nitrate solution (b) ZnSO4(aq) + NaOH(aq)
3. C. Iron(III) sulphate solution and (colourless)
aqueous ammonia  Zn(OH)2(s) + Na2SO4(aq)
4. D (1), (2) and (3) (white)
5. C. (2) and (3) only Zn(OH)2(s) + 2OH(aq)
6. B. Sodium hydroxide solution (white)
7. A. (1) and (3) only  [Zn(OH)4]2(aq)
8. C. 3.0 (colourless)

B. Fill in the Blanks 3. (a) A white precipitate firstly forms.

When excess ammonia solution is
1. copper(II), potassium, calcium
added, the white precipitate
2. Oxygen, hydrogen
dissolves to form a colourless
3. bicarbonate indicator
solution.
4. Chlorine, sulphur
(b) AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq)
C. Comprehensive Questions (colourless) (colourless)
 AgCl(s) +NaNO3(aq)
1. 1. Flame test (white)
Copper(II) ions give a bluish green AgCl(s) + 2NH3(aq)
flame in a flame test. (white)
2. Chemical test  [Ag(NH3)2] +(aq) + Cl(aq)
Copper(II) ions react with sodium (colourless)
hydroxide solution to form a blue
gelatinous precipitate called 4. (a) Test for ammonium ion
copper(II) hydroxide. On strong heating with sodium
Cu2+(aq) + 2OH(aq) hydroxide solution, the colourless
(blue)  Cu(OH)2(s) gas produced turns moist red litmus
(blue) paper or pH paper blue.
When excess ammonia solution is NH4Cl(aq) + NaOH(aq)
added, the solid redissolves to form  NaCl(aq) + NH3(g) + H2O(l)
a deep blue solution. Test for chloride ion
Cu(OH)2(s) + 4NH3(aq) On adding acidified silver nitrate
(blue) solution, a white precipitate firstly
 [Cu(NH3)4]2+(aq) + 2OH(aq) forms. After adding excess ammonia
(deep blue) solution, the white precipitate
dissolves to form a colourless
2. (a) A white precipitate firstly forms. solution.
When excess sodium hydroxide

Chapter 37 Solutions (EE).doc

 Chapter 37 129

Ag+(aq) + Cl(aq) Zn2+(aq) + 2OH(aq)

(colourless) (colourless) (colourless)  Zn(OH)2(s)
 AgCl(s) (white)
(white)
AgCl(s) + 2NH3(aq) When excess sodium hydroxide
is added, the white precipitate
 [Ag(NH3)2]+(aq) + Cl(aq)
redissolves to form a colourless
(b) Test for copper(II) ion:
solution.
When sodium hydroxide solution is
added to copper(II) carbonate Zn(OH)2(s) + 2OH(aq)
solution, a blue gelatinous (white)
precipitate (copper(II) hydroxide)  [Zn(OH)4]2(aq)
forms. (colourless)
Cu2+(aq) + 2OH(aq) Test for iodide ion:
(blue)  Cu(OH)2(s) When acidified silver nitrate
(blue) solution is added to zinc iodide, a
yellow solid (silver iodide) is
When excess ammonia solution is
formed.
added, the blue gelatinous precipitate
Ag+(aq) + I(aq)
redissolves to form a deep blue
(colourless) (colourless)
solution.
 AgI(s)
Cu(OH)2(s) + 4NH3(aq) (yellow)
(blue) (d) Test for aluminium ion:
 [Cu(NH3)4]2+(aq) + 2OH(aq) When sodium hydroxide solution is
(deep blue) added to aluminium sulphate, a
white solid (aluminium hydroxide)
Test for carbonate ion: is formed.
When dilute hydrochloric acid is Al3+(aq) + 3OH(aq)
added to copper(II) carbonate, a (colourless)
colourless gas is evolved. The  Al(OH)3(s)
colourless gas produced turns lime (white)
water milky. When excess sodium hydroxide
CaCO3(aq) + 2HCl(aq) solution is added, the white
 CaCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l) precipitate redissolves to form a
colourless solution.
Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) Al(OH)3(s) + OH(aq)
(colourless) (white)
 CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)  [Al(OH)4](aq)
(milky) (colourless)
(c) Test for zinc ion: Test for sulphate ion:
When sodium hydroxide solution is When calcium chloride solution is
added to zinc iodide, a white added to aluminium sulphate, a
gelatinous precipitate (zinc white precipitate is formed.
hydroxide) is formed. Al(SO4)3 + 3CaCl2(aq)
 2AlCl3(aq) + 3CaSO4(s)
(white)

Chapter 37 Solutions (EE).doc

130 Part 9
5. 1. Reaction with KMnO4/H+(aq)
Sodium sulphite reacts with KMnO4/H+(aq)
while sodium hypochlorite does not. This
is because sulphite ions are a reducing
agent but hypochlorite ions are not.
When sodium sulphite is added to
KMnO4/H+(aq), the solution changes from
purple to colourless.
2MnO4(aq) + 5SO32(aq) + 6H+(aq)
(purple)
 2Mn2+(aq) + 5SO42(aq) + 3H2O(l)
(colourless)
2. Reaction with K2Cr2O7/H+
Sodium sulphite reacts with KCr2O7/H+(aq)
while sodium hypochlorite does not. This
is because sulphite ions are a strong
reducing agent but hypochlorite ions are
not.
When sodium sulphite is added to
KCr2O7/H+(aq), the solution changes from
orange to green.
Cr2O72(aq) + 3SO32(aq) + 8H+(aq)
(orange)
 2Cr3+(aq) + 3SO42(aq) + 4H2O(l)
(green)
(Any one)
6. (a) Reaction with sodium hydroxide:
When sodium hydroxide solution is
added to zinc nitrate, a white
gelatinous precipitate (zinc
hydroxide) is formed.
Zn2+(aq) + 2OH(aq)
(colourless)
 Zn(OH)2(s)
(white)
When excess sodium hydroxide
solution is added, the white
precipitate redissolves to form a
colourless solution.
Zn(OH)2(s) + 2OH(aq)
(white)
 [Zn(OH)4]2(aq)
(colourless)
Chapter 37 Solutions (EE).doc
When sodium hydroxide solution is
added to magnesium nitrate, a white
precipitate is formed. However, the
white precipitate does not redissolve
in excess sodium hydroxide solution.
Mg2+(aq) + 2OH(aq)
(colourless)
 Mg(OH)2(s)
(white)
(b) Reaction with dilute hydrochloric
acid and then KMnO4/H+(aq)
When dilute hydrochloric acid is
added to sodium carbonate, a
colourless gas is evolved.
Na2CO3(aq) + 2HCl(aq)
 2NaCl(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
However, the gas does not react with
KMnO4/H+(aq).
When dilute hydrochloric acid is
added to sodium sulphite, a
colourless gas is evolved. The
colourless gas can turn acidified
potassium permanganate solution
from purple to colourless.
2MnO4(aq) + 5SO32(aq) + 6H+(aq)
 2Mn2+(aq) + 5SO42(aq) + 3H2O(l)
(c) Reaction with KMnO4/H+(aq)
Dilute hydrochloric acid
decolourizes KMnO4/H+(aq) while
sulphuric acid does not. This is
because chloride ions are a strong
reducing agent while sulphate ions
are not.
2MnO4(aq) + 16H+(aq) + 10Cl(aq)
 2Mn2+(aq) + 5Cl2(aq) +
8H2O(l)
(d) On heating, sodium
hydrogencarbonate decomposes to
form sodium carbonate, carbon
dioxide and water vapour while
sodium carbonate does not.
2NaHCO3(s)
heat
 Na2CO3(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

7. (a) X is AgBr. When excess
concentrated ammonia solution is
added, the pale yellow precipitate
dissolves. This is because the silver
bromide formed reacts with
ammonia to form colourless and
soluble complex ions
([Ag(NH3)2]+(aq)) reversibly.
Also, bromide ions are oxidized by
aqueous chlorine to orange bromine
gas which then dissolves to give an
orange solution.
Furthermore, when volasil is added
to the reaction mixture, it floats to
form the top layer. This is because
volasil is less dense than water and
is immiscible with water. The
bromine formed dissolves in it to
give a deep orange colour.
(b) AgBr(s) + 2NH3(aq)
(pale yellow)
[Ag(NH3)2]+(aq) + Br(aq)
(colourless)
Cl2(aq) + 2Br(aq)
(yellowish green) (colourless)
 2Cl(aq) + Br2(aq)
(colourless) (orange/brown)
Chapter 37 131
8. (a) Y is ammonium chloride
When ammonium chloride reacts
with sodium hydroxide solution,
colourless ammonia gas is formed.
Ammonia is an alkaline gas which
turns moist pH paper blue.
When dilute acidified silver nitrate
solution is added to solution of Y, a
white precipitate of silver chloride is
formed.
(b) NH4Cl(s or aq) + NaOH(aq)
 NaCl(aq) + NH3(g) + H2O(l)
AgNO3(aq) + NH4Cl(aq)
 AgCl(s) + NH4NO3(aq)
(white)
(c) (i) The white solid of silver
chloride dissolves to give a
colourless solution.
(ii) AgCl(s) + 2NH3(aq)
(white)
 [Ag(NH3)2]+(aq) + Cl(aq)
(colourless)
9  11. HKCEE Questions
D. Essay-type Question
1. HKCEE Question
Chapter 37 Solutions (EE).doc