Form 4 Chapter 8: Salt

Soluble and Insoluble Salts

1. Soluble salts in water include:
(a) all nitrates and ethanoates
(b) all sodium, potassium and ammonium salts
(c) all chlorides except AgCl, PbCl 2 and HgCl 2
(d) all sulphates except BaSO 4 , PbSO 4 and CaSO 4
2. Operational definition of soluble salt is when a salt added into water and dissolve
to form a solution.

Preparation of Soluble Salts

1. Sodium, potassium and ammonium salts are prepared by the neutralisation process
when an acid reacts with an alkali.
  
2. Preparation of salts which are not Na , K or NH4 salts:

Acid and Insoluble Basic Oxide or Hydroxide

Preparation of Copper(II) Sulphate / Zn(II) Sulphate:
H2SO 4 (aq)  CuO(s)  CuSO 4 (aq)  H2O(l)
Acid and Carbonate
Preparation of Zinc Chloride:
ZnCO 3 (s)  2HCl(aq)  ZnCl 2 (aq)  H 2 O  CO 2
Acid and Active Metal
Preparation of Aluminium Nitrate:
2Al(s)  6HNO3 (aq)  2Al(NO3 )3 (aq)  3H2 (g)

Preparation of Insoluble Salts

1. Insoluble salts are prepared through double decomposition by using the
precipitation method.
2. The ions from two different salts interchange to form an insoluble salt and a soluble
salt. For example:

3. Preparation of Lead(II) Sulphate: An insoluble salt is produced when two aqueous

solution soluble salt are mixed together.

1
Analysis of Cations in Salts

2
Soluble Salt NaOH NH 3 Fe 2 Fe 3 Anion Test

1. K , Na , NH 4  
1. Cl 
Ca 2
2 Potassium Add HNO3
2. SO4 - Mg 2 P P
2 2 2 L Cyanoferrate (II) Add AgNO3
Pb , Ba , Ca 2
Al
U - white precipitate
3. Cl  - Pb 2 , Hg 2 , Ag  Zn 2
Greenish
 AgCl 
4. NO3

Fe 2 Dirty Green C
Potassium
P Brown
5. CO3
2
- Insoluble Fe 3 Brown K Cyanoferrate (III)
Solution 2. SO4
2

 Sn 2 Y
except K  , Na  , NH 4 Add HNO3
Pb 2 Add Ba (NO3 ) 2
Potassium
Insoluble Salt Cu 2 Blue Tiosianate
P P
- white precipitate
Double Decomposition
Method:
Z A P Zn Cu BaSO4 
Gas
1. H 2 4. NO2 7. NH 3 
Soluble Salt + Soluble 3. NO3 (Brown Ring
Salt  Insoluble Salt + - burning - brown gas - add HCl (concentrated) Test)
Soluble Salt wooden - blue litmus  white fume - dilute H 2 SO4
splinter paper turn red - red litmus paper turn blue
Pb 2 - FeSO 4 (aq)
1. Cl  - White Precipitate 2. O2 5. SO2 8. HCl - concentrated
PbCl 2  - glowing - blue – red - add NH 3 (concentrated) H 2 SO4 get brown
2 wooden - KMnO4  white fume ring
2. SO4 - White splinter - blue litmus paper turn red
Precipitate PbSO4 
- K 2 Cr2 O7 2
4. CO3
3. KI - Yellow Precipitate 3. CO2 6. Cl 2 9. H 2 O
Add any strong acid
PbI 2  - lime water - blue litmus - blue litmus paper turn red  bubbles /
- turn chalky paper turn red - add Pb 2 (black effervescence
then bleached precipitate)  lime water
 chalky

3
 CO3 NO3
Potassium Nitrate
K 2 CO3 1
KNO3 
 KNO2  O2
2
Na 2 CO3
1
NaNO3 
 NaNO2  O2
2

 CaO  CO2
CaNO3 2
Ca 2 CO3 1

 CaO  2 NO2  O2
2
MgCO3 Mg NO3 2
AlCO 3 Al NO3 2
ZnCO3 
 ZnO  CO2 ZnNO3 2
FeCO3 FeNO3 2
SnCO3 SnNO3 2
PbCO3 PbNO3 2

 CuO  CO2
CuNO3 2
CuCO3 1

 CuO  2 NO2  O2
2
HgNO3 2
1
HgCO3 
 Hg  CO2  O2
2
Ag 2 CO3 Ag NO3 2
AuCO3 Au NO3 2

Very Important!
Hot Cold
ZnO Yellow White
PbO Brown Yellow
CuO Black Black

4
Heating Test on Salts
Original Colour of Salt Colour of Residue after Heating Metal Oxide Produced
White Yellow when hot, white when cold ZnO
Yellow Brown when hot, yellow when cold PbO
Blue / Green Black CuO
Green / Yellow Brown Fe 2 O 3
Colour Change of Salts on Heating

Effects of Heat on Nitrate Salts

Tests for Anions