81112036294001

CHEMISTRY 1 (HBSC2103)

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE

SEMESTER SEPTEMBER
YEAR 2012

COURSE CODE : HBSC2103

COURSE TITLE : CHEMISTRY 1 (SMP)

NAME

SAMIHAH BINTI YAACOB

MATRICULATION NO :

811112036294001

IDENTITY CARD NO. :

811112036294

TELEPHONE NO.

0139830107

E-MAIL

miehah_81@yahoo.com.my

LEARNING CENTRE

PAHANG LEARNING CENTER

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CHEMISTRY 1 (HBSC2103)

INTRODUCTION
Salt in chemistry are defined as chemical compound (other than water) that formed by a
chemical reaction, which call neutralization, between an acid and a base. They are
compose of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral. Cations are the
positively charge ion, while anion is negatively charge ion. These component ions can be
inorganic, for example chloride (Cl-), as well as organic compound such as acetate
(CH3COO-) and also monatomic ions, in example fluoride (F-) and polyatomic ions such
as sulfate (SO42).
Most salts are ionic compounds (see chemical bond); they are made up of ions rather than
molecules. The chemical formula for an ionic salt is an empirical formula; it does not
represent a molecule but shows the proportion of atoms of the elements that make up the
salt. The formula for sodium chloride, NaCl, indicates that equal numbers of sodium and
chlorine atoms combine to form the salt. In the reaction of sodium with chlorine, each
sodium atom loses an electron, becoming positively charged, and each chlorine atom
gains an electron, becoming negatively charged (see oxidation and reduction); there are
equal numbers of positively charged sodium ions and negatively charged chloride ions in
sodium chloride. The ions in a solid salt are usually arranged in a definite crystalline
structure, each positive ion being associated with a fixed number of negative ions, and
vice versa.
A salt that has neither hydrogen (H) nor hydroxyl (OH) in its formula, e.g.,
sodium chloride (NaCl), is called a normal salt. A salt that has hydrogen in its formula,
e.g., sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), is called an acid salt. A salt that has hydroxyl in its
formula, e.g., basic lead nitrate (Pb[OH]NO3), is called a basic salt. Since a salt may react
with a solvent to yield different ions than were present in the salt (see hydrolysis), a
solution of a normal salt may be acidic or basic; e.g., trisodium phosphate, Na 3PO4,
dissolves in and reacts with water to form a basic solution.

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In addition to being classified as normal, acid, or basic, salts are categorized as

simple salts, double salts, or complex salts. Simple salts, e.g., sodium chloride, contain
only one kind of positive ion (other than the hydrogen ion in acid salts). Double salts
contain two different positive ions, e.g., the mineral dolomite, or calcium magnesium
carbonate, CaMg(CO3)2. Alums are a special kind of double salt. Complex salts, e.g.,
potassium ferricyanide, K3Fe(CN)6, contain a complex ion that does not dissociate in
solution. A hydrate is a salt that includes water in its solid crystalline form; Glauber's salt
and Epsom salts are hydrates.
Molten salts and solutions containing dissolved salts (e.g., sodium chloride in water) are
called electrolytes,

as

they

are

able

to conduct

electricity. As

observed

in

the cytoplasm of cells, in blood, urine, plant saps and mineral waters, mixtures of many
different ions in solution usually do not form defined salts after evaporation of the water.
Therefore, their salt content is given for the respective ions.
Salts can appear to be clear and transparent (sodium chloride), opaque, and even metallic
and lustrous (iron disulfide). In many cases the apparent opacity or transparency are only
related to the difference in size of the individual monocrystals. Since light reflects from
the grain boundaries (boundaries between crystallites), larger crystals tend to be
transparent, while polycrystalline aggregates look like white powders.
Salts exist in many different colors, for example:

yellow (sodium chromate)

orange (potassium dichromate)

red (potassium ferricyanide)

mauve (cobalt chloride hexahydrate)

blue (copper sulfate pentahydrate, ferric hexacyanoferrate)

purple (potassium permanganate)

green (nickel chloride hexahydrate)

colorless (sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate)may appear white

when powdered or in small pieces
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Most minerals and inorganic pigments as well as many synthetic organic dyes are
salts. The color of the specific salt is due to the presence of unpaired electrons in the dorbital of transition elements.
Different salts can elicit all five basic tastes, e.g., salty (sodium chloride), sweet (lead
diacetate, which will cause lead poisoning if ingested), sour (potassium bitartrate), bitter
(magnesium sulfate), and umami or savory (monosodium glutamate).
Salts derived from a strong acid and a strong base ("strong salts") are usually stable and
odorless, whereas salts formed from weak acids and weak bases ("weak salts") is caused
by the smell because the conjugate acid (e.g. acetic acid (acetic acid) on (vinegar) and
cyanides like hydrogen cyanide) or because its conjugate base (e.g. ammonium salts like
ammonia). Partial decomposition can be accelerated by the addition of water, since
hydrolysis is the other half of the reversible reaction forming weak salt.
Salts are also prepared by methods other than neutralization. A metal can combine
directly with a nonmetal to form a salt; e.g., sodium metal reacts with chlorine gas to
form sodium chloride. A metal may react with a dilute acid to form a salt and release
hydrogen gas; e.g., zinc reacts with dilute sulfuric acid to form zinc sulfate and hydrogen.
A metal oxide may react with an acid to form a salt and water; e.g., calcium oxide reacts
with carbonic acid to form calcium carbonate and water. A base can react with a
nonmetallic oxide to form a salt and water; e.g., sodium hydroxide reacts with carbon
dioxide to form sodium carbonate and water. Two salts may react with one another (in
solution) to form two new salts; e.g., barium chloride and sodium sulfate react in solution
to form barium sulfate (as an insoluble precipitate) and sodium chloride (which remains
in solution). A salt may react with an acid to form a different salt and acid; e.g., sodium
chloride and sulfuric acid react when heated to form sodium sulfate and release hydrogen
chloride

gas

(which

in

solution

forms

hydrochloric

acid).

salt

undergoes dissociation when it dissolves in a polar solvent, e.g., water, the extent of
dissociation depending both on the salt and the solvent.

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1. Identification of metal salts.

Given are 4 types of salts; lead nitrate, lead carbonate, potassium nitrate and
potassium carbonate.

First, we need to distinguish between lead and potassium

compounds. To do so, we can use either flame test or adding dilute solution of NaOH to
identify the compound.
A. Flame test
Procedure A: First, a clean wire loop either a platinum or nickel-chromium loops
is prepared. The loop was cleaned by dipping in hydrochloric or
nitric acid, followed by rinsing with distilled or deionized water.
The cleanliness of the loop is tested by inserting it into a gas flame.
If a burst of color is produced, the loop is not sufficiently clean.
The loop must be cleaned between tests.The clean loop is dipped in
either a powder or solution of an ionic (metal) salt. The loop with
sample is placed in the clear or blue part of the flame and the
resulting color is observed.
Procedure B: Otherwise, you can use wooden splints or cotton swabs as an
alternative to replace wire loop. This alternative is inexpensive
rather than using wire loop. To use wooden splints, you have to
soak them in distilled water for a night. Pour the water out and
rinsed it with clean water. Watch out to avoid contaminating the
water with sodium (as in your palm sweating). Take a damn splint
or cotton swab which has been moistened in water and dip in the
metal salt sample to be tested. After that, wave the splint or cotton
swab through the flame as shown in Figure 1. Never hold the
sample in flame because it can cause the wooden splint or cotton
swab to ignite. Repeat each sample using new splint or swab.

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Figure 1

Observation: After the test was carried out, we can observe that 2 different
colors were produced.

Blue and lilac to red color flame was

produced, respectively.

From references, blue color flame is

produced by lead salts while lilac to red color flame is produced by

potassium salts.

Figure 2 : the colour of flame test

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B. Addition of diluted NaOH

Procedure

: Prepared four test tubes. After that, each test tube is filled with salt
solutions. Then, small amount of diluted solution of NaOH was
added to each test tube of metal salt. The test tubes were shaken
and the results were observed.

Observation : After adding the dilute solution of NaOH, white precipitate will
occur in 2 of the test tubes while the other 2 remain unchanged.
The solutions with white precipitate are lead salts while the clear
solutions are potassium salts.

Figure 3

Conclusion:

As the conclusion, from both tests, we now can separate both lead
and potassium salt as it will give a different results.

2. Identification of nitrate and carbonate compounds.

After identify both lead and potassium salts, now we need to conduct further tests to
identify nitrate and carbonate anion for both lead and potassium. For this purpose, we
can conduct some simple tests to achieve our objective.
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A. Solubility test
Procedure:

First, we need to prepare 4 clean test tubes. Then, small amount of each
salt is transferred into the test tubes. After that, we will add about

3 mL

of water into each test tube. The test tubes were shaken for a few
minutes before the results were observed.

Observation: For the results, we will divide it into its respective metal. For lead, from
the two test tubes, one of the salts is soluble in water, while the
other one

is insoluble. From reference, all nitrates are soluble and for

carbonate, all

are insoluble except for sodium and potassium carbonate.

Thus, from

solubility test, we can differentiate lead nitrate and lead

carbonate, as

nitrate is soluble while carbonate is insoluble in water. For

potassium, the

solubility test is not suitable as both salts are soluble

in water. For that,

we will proceed to another test to distinguish nitrate

and carbonate for

potassium.

B. Heating test
Procedure:

As we cannot identify the nitrate and carbonate for potassium using

solubility test, we will try the heating test. As usual, we need to

prepare a

set of test tube. Then, we put about 0.5 g of each salt into

the test tubes.

Using the fume hood, the heating test was carried out.

Each test tube is

heated gently until a significant result is observed.

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Figure 4

Observation: After heating, one of the test tubes will produce a brown fume.
This brown fume is actually the NO2 gases as in Figure 5. This gas
can only be produced by a nitrate compound. So, the other test
tube should be the potassium carbonate. To verify this, we can test
the CO2 gas produced by the carbonate compound using a burning
stick. The burning stick will be put out by the CO2 gas as shown in
Figure 6.

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CHEMISTRY 1 (HBSC2103)

Figure 5

Figure 6

3. To prepare lead carbonate.

Lead carbonate is insoluble salt. So, we can prepare the salt by using precipitation
method. Here is the explanation of the preparation.
Apparatus

: Beakers, glass rods, conical flasks, filter funnels and filter paper.

Materials

: 0.5 mol dm-3 solutions of lead(II) nitrate and potassium carbonate.

Procedure

: 20cm3 of 0.5mol dm-3 potassium carbonate solution is added to 20cm3 of

0.5mol dm-3 lead(II) nitrate solution in a beaker. The mixture is then
stirred thoroughly with a glass rod. A very bright yellow participate is
formed immediately. The mixture is filtered to obtain the yellow solids of
lead(II) carbonate residue. The residue is rinsed with distilled water to
remove any trace of other ions in it. The yellow solid is dried by pressing
between two pieces of filter papers.

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Figure 7
Conclusion

: Insoluble salt of lead(II) carbonate can be prepared by precipitation in

double decomposition reactions.

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4. Principles involve.
In order to prepare lead(II) carbonate, the principle involve is acid-base principle. This is
a special kind of double displacement reaction that takes place when an acid and base
react with each other. The H+ ion in the acid reacts with the OH-ion in the base, causing
the formation of water. Generally, the product of this reaction is some ionic salt and
water. There are three chemical properties of acid in this principle as shown in Table 1.
React with
Base

Produce
Salt + water

Acid

Example
Copper(II) oxide dissolves
in ethanoic acid to produce
salt, which is copper(II)

Metals

Salt + hydrogen gas

ethanoate and water

Zinc dissolves in sulphuric
acid to form zinc sulphate

Carbonates

and hydrogen gas

Salt + carbon dioxide + Sodium carbonate react with
water

dilute

sulphuric

acid

to

produce sodium sulphate,

carbon

dioxide

gas

and

water

Table 1
In this case, we use double decomposition reaction. Double decomposition reaction is a
chemical reaction where two compounds decomposes or breaks to form two new
compounds. Equationwise this reaction forms new substances just by the exchange of
their radicals. The difference of double decomposition reaction and double displacement
reaction is double decomposition is chemical reaction in which molecules of a substance
break down to form simpler molecules of two or more new substances (refer to Figure 8 )
Decomposition of a substance, due to heat is called thermal decomposition, while
decomposition due to electricity, is called electrolytic decomposition. Double

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Displacement (or double replacement) reactions involve compounds on both sides, and
the cations are switched in the products as we can see in Figure 9.

Figure 8

Figure 9

CONCLUSION
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In conclusion, now we understand more deeply about salt. There many types of salt that
exist in the earth. We also know the specification and the properties of all the salt such as
the taste of the salt, the odour, and also the way how to prepare salt. Besides that, there
are lots of identification test that we can apply in an experiment. Other than that, we can
see there are three principles that we have to know which are, acid when react with base
will form salt and water. When acid react with metal, it will produce salt and hydrogen
gas while if acid react with carbonate, it will produce salt, carbon dioxide gas and water.
From some of the experiment, we can identify what kind of salt will produce, either it is
soluble salt or insoluble salt. Besides, now we also can differentiate double
decomposition reaction and double replacement reaction. All of these things are the main
objective of this assignment.

( 2429 words )

REFERENCES.
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CHEMISTRY 1 (HBSC2103)

1) http://www.ausetute.com.au/flametest.html
2) http://faculty.sdmiramar.edu/fgarces/labmatters/instruments/aa/AAS_Theory/AAS
Theory.htm
3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_test
4) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/SALT
5) Toon, T.Y., Leng, L. W., Tin, T.O. (2012). Success Chemistry SPM. Selangor,
Malaysia.
6)

Open University Malaysia Faculty of Education and Language. (2012).

Chemistry 1 (1st ed.). Selangor Darul Ehsan.

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