Required learning (by rote) for all Junior Chemistry Units of Study:

a) The names and formulas of all cations and ions in Table 1.

b) The solubility rules of common inorganic salts (Table 2).
c) The general reaction between an acid and an oxide, hydroxide or carbonate (Table 3).

Table 1: Some Commonly Occurring Ions and their Colours in Aqueous Solution

CATIONS ANIONS
3+ –
Al aluminium ion F fluoride ion
NH4+ ammonium ion Cl– chloride ion
Ba2+ barium ion Br– bromide ion
Cd2+ cadmium ion I– iodide ion
Ca2+ calcium ion O2– oxide ion
Cr3+ chromium(III) ion blue-green OH– hydroxide ion
Co2+ cobalt(II) ion pink ClO4– perchlorate ion
Cu2+ copper(II) ion blue NO3– nitrate ion
Cu+ copper(I) ion SO42– sulfate ion
Fe3+ iron(III) ion brown-yellow HSO4– hydrogensulfate ion
Fe2+ iron(II) ion pale green SO32– sulfite ion
Pb2+ lead(II) ion HSO3– hydrogensulfite ion
Mn2+ manganese(II) ion pale pink S2– sulfide ion
Hg2+ mercury(II) ion HS– hydrogensulfide ion
Hg22+ mercury(I) ion S2O32– thiosulfate ion
Ni2+ nickel(II) ion green CO32– carbonate ion
K+ potassium ion HCO3– hydrogencarbonate ion
Ag+ silver ion PO43– phosphate ion
Na+ sodium ion HPO42– hydrogenphosphate ion
Sr2+ strontium ion H2PO4– dihydrogenphosphate ion
Sn4+ tin(IV) ion NO2– nitrite ion
Sn2+ tin(II) ion CH3CO2– acetate ion
Zn2+ zinc ion C2O42– oxalate ion
CN– cyanide ion
NCS– thiocyanate ion
Cr2O72– dichromate ion orange
CrO42– chromate ion yellow
MnO4– permanganate ion purple
 Table 2 Solubility of Common Inorganic Salts

BEHAVIOUR WITH COMMON CATIONS

ANION
SLIGHTLY
USUAL EXCEPTIONAL
SOLUBLE

NO3– soluble

Cl– soluble except Ag+, Hg22+ Pb2+

Br– soluble except Ag+, Hg22+ Hg2+, Pb2+

I– soluble except Ag+, Hg22+, Hg2+, Pb2+

SO42– soluble except Sr2+, Ba2+, Hg22+, Pb2+ Ca2+, Ag+

CH3CO2– soluble Ag+, Hg22+

OH– insoluble except Na+, K+, Ba2+ Ca2+, Sr2+

Na2O, K2O, BaO, CaO, SrO react with water

O2– insoluble
to give the corresponding hydroxide.

CO32– insoluble except Na+, K+, NH4+

PO43– insoluble except Na+, K+, NH4+

The following are given for the sake of completeness, but the anions are less common
than those above and need not be learnt.

F– soluble except Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Pb2+ Al3+

SO32– insoluble except Na+, K+, NH4+, Mg2+

C2O42– insoluble except Na+, K+, NH4+

S2– insoluble except Na+, K+, NH4+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+
 Table 3 Properties of Oxides, Hydroxides and Carbonates.
ACTION OF ACTION OF SOLUBILITY ACTION OF SOLUBILITY ACTION OF
METAL
ION
WATER ON H+ ON OF H+ ON OF H+ ON
OXIDE OXIDE HYDROXIDE HYDROXIDE CARBONATE CARBONATE

Hg2+

Ag+

Cu2+

Pb2+

Sn2+

Ni2+ Insoluble

Co2+
(Carbonates
2+
Fe No reaction Reacts to Insoluble of metals
produce with charge
Fe3+ H2O and of 3+ tend
metal ion. to hydrolyse Reacts to
Reacts to
Cr3+ and exist produce
produce
Some with some H2O and
H2O and
Cd 2+
oxides with OH– in the CO2(g) and
metal ion.
very stable crystal metal ion.
Zn2+ crystal lattice or
lattices else do not
Mn2+ react slowly exist at all.)

Al3+

Mg2+

Ca2+
Slightly
soluble
Sr2+
Reacts to
2+
Ba form
hydroxide.
Na+ Soluble
Soluble
K+