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Chemical Analysis, Organic Chemistry and Materials

Why an ion test must be unique, and flame tests

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2

Overview

Why a test result must be unique to one ion and why known compounds are tested alongside, the flame colours of lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium and copper, and how the test is carried out.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Describe how a flame test is carried out on a solid sample, and why the wire loop is cleaned beforehand.

Key term

What is meant by saying that the result of an ion test is unique?

Key term

A student claims that a white precipitate with sodium hydroxide solution proves calcium ions are present. Why is that conclusion unsafe?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Why must a chemical test for an ion give a result that no other ion gives?

    Model answer

    Only a result unique to that ion allows a firm conclusion, because a shared result could have been caused by a different ion.

  2. 2

    What is meant by saying that the result of an ion test is unique?

    Model answer

    The observation is produced by that one ion and by none of the other ions being looked for.

  3. 3

    A student claims that a white precipitate with sodium hydroxide solution proves calcium ions are present. Why is that conclusion unsafe?

    Model answer

    Aluminium ions also give a white precipitate with sodium hydroxide solution, so this observation alone does not identify the ion.

  4. 4

    Why is more than one test usually needed before an unknown salt can be named?

    Model answer

    One test identifies the positive ion and another identifies the negative ion, and neither result on its own names the whole compound.

  5. 5

    Give one reason for testing a known compound alongside an unknown one.

    Model answer

    The known compound shows exactly what a positive result looks like, so the unknown observation can be compared with it.

  6. 6

    What flame colour is produced by a lithium ion, Li⁺?

    Model answer

    Red.

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