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Inorganic Chemistry and the Periodic Table

Thermal decomposition of nitrates and carbonates

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 3

Overview

The products of heating Group 1 and Group 2 nitrates and carbonates, the lithium nitrate and lithium carbonate exceptions, the increase in thermal stability down each group, and how cation charge density and polarisation of the anion explain why Group 2 compounds decompose more readily.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

State the products formed when a Group 2 nitrate is heated.

Key term

How does the weakening of bonds within an anion affect the decomposition temperature of the compound?

Key term

State the products formed when a typical Group 1 nitrate (other than lithium nitrate) is heated.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    State the products formed when a typical Group 1 nitrate (other than lithium nitrate) is heated.

    Model answer

    The metal nitrite and oxygen gas

  2. 2

    What type of compound is formed from the metal when sodium nitrate decomposes on heating?

    Model answer

    Sodium nitrite (a metal nitrite)

  3. 3

    Why is lithium nitrate considered an exception among Group 1 nitrates in terms of thermal decomposition?

    Model answer

    It decomposes to form lithium oxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen, rather than forming a nitrite

  4. 4

    State the three products formed when lithium nitrate is heated.

    Model answer

    Lithium oxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen

  5. 5

    State the products formed when a Group 2 nitrate is heated.

    Model answer

    The metal oxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen gas

  6. 6

    What gaseous products are released when calcium nitrate decomposes on heating?

    Model answer

    Nitrogen dioxide and oxygen

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AAtomisation turns each element into gaseous atoms.
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