194 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY—XII

VIVA QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. What is qualitative analysis?
Ans. The type of analysis that deals with the methods which are used to determine the constitu-
ents of a compound.
2. What is a radical?
Ans. A radical may be defined as an atom or group of atoms which carries charge and behaves as
a single unit in chemical reactions.
3. What are acidic and basic radicals?
Ans. Radicals carrying positive charge are called basic radicals and those carrying negative charge
are called acidic radicals.
4. What type of bond is generally present in an inorganic salt?
Ans. Electrovalent bond.
5. Why do inorganic salt ionise when dissolved in water?
Ans. Due to the high dielectric constant of water, the force of attraction holding the two ions in a
salt decreases. Thus, the two ions separate. The ions are further stabilized by hydration.
6. Name the coloured basic radicals.
Ans. Cu2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Cr3+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Mn2+.
7. What is the colour of iron salts?
Ans. Ferrous salts are usually light green while ferric salts are generally brown.
8. Name any iron salt which is light green.
Ans. Ferrous sulphate.
9. What is the colour of nickel salts?
Ans. Bluish green or green.
10. What is the colour of manganese salts?
Ans. Light pink or flesh colour.
11. Name the basic radicals which are absent, if the given salt is white.
Ans. Cu2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Cr3+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Mn2+.
12. Why does a salt containing lead turn black in colour, when placed for a long time in
laboratory ?
Ans. Due to the formation of black lead-sulphide by the action of H2S in the atmosphere.
13. Name some salts which produce crackling sound when heated.
Ans. Lead nitrate, barium nitrate, potassium bromide, sodium chloride.
14. What is sublimation?
Ans. It is the process by which a salt directly changes into gaseous phase without melting, when
heated. On cooling vapours condense back to the solid state.
15. Tell the importance of preliminary tests in qualitative analysis.
Ans. Sometimes, preliminary tests give authentic information about an ion in the salt. For example,
crimson red colour in flame test shows the presence of strontium. In a charcoal cavity test, brown
residue shows the presence of cadmium in a salt and so on.
16. How is dry heating test performed and what information you get if the residue changes
to yellow when hot?
Ans. In dry heating test, the salt is heated in a dry test tube. Yellow residue when hot shows the
presence of zinc.
17. What is the expected information when copper sulphate is heated in a dry test tube?
Ans. A white residue is formed and water condenses on the colder walls of the test tube.
18. Name the radical which produces CO2 on heating.
Ans. Carbonate.
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 195

19. What is the colour of residue when zinc salt is heated?

Ans. A residue yellow when hot and white when cold is formed.
20. If the residue in dry heating test is white, name the radicals which are absent.
Ans. Cu2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Cr3+, Cd2+, Zn2+ and Pb2+.
21. How is charcoal cavity test performed? Describe the chemistry for the formation of
incrustation as well as metallic bead.
Ans. The salt is mixed with the double the quantity of sodium carbonate and the mixture is heated
in the charocal cavity in luminous flame (reducing flame).
Pb(NO3)2 + Na2CO3 ⎯→ PbCO3 + 2NaNO3
PbCO3 ⎯→ CO2 + PbO
Brown-hot
(incrustation)
PbO + C ⎯→ Pb + CO ↑
(Bead)
22. Which flame is used in charcoal cavity test? How is it obtained?
Ans. A reducing flame is used in charcoal cavity test. It is obtained by closing the air holes of the
Bunsen burner.
23. Why should we avoid excess of cobalt nitrate in cobalt nitrate test?
Ans. Excess of cobalt nitrate is avoided because it forms black cobalt oxide in the oxidising flame.
This colour masks the other colours which might be produced during the test.
24. In the flame test, sodium imparts yellow colour to the flame while magnesium does not
impart any colour. Why?
Ans. In case of magnesium, the energy of flame is unable to promote the electron to higher energy
level, hence, no colour is imparted to the flame.
25. What is the chemistry of the flame test.
Ans. In flame test, the valence electron of the atom gets excited and jumps to the higher level.
When the electron jumps back to the ground state, the radiation is emitted whose frequency falls
in the visible region.
26. What is the function of blue glass in flame test?
Ans. The blue glass can absorb a part or whole of the coloured light in certain cases. Therefore, the
flame appears to be of different colour when viewed through blue glass. This helps in identification
of some basic radicals.
27. Why do we use conc. HCl in preparing a paste of the salt for the flame test?
Ans. In order to convert metal salts into metal chlorides which are more volatile than other salts.
28. Why can’t we use glass rod instead of platinum wire for performing flame test?
Ans. This is because glass contains sodium silicate which imparts its own golden yellow colour to
the flame.
29. Why is platinum metal preferred to other metals for flame test?
Ans. Because platinum does not react with acids and does not itself impart any characteristic
colour to the flame.
30. Why do barium salts not impart colour to the flame immediately?
Ans. Because barium chloride is less volatile, it imparts colour to the flame after some time.
31. Why should we avoid the use of platinum wire for testing lead salts?
Ans. Because lead combines with platinum and the wire gets corroded.
32. Why should only a particle or two of the given salt should be touched with the bead in
borax bead test?
Ans. If salt is used in excess an opaque bead is formed.
33. Why borax bead test is not applicable in case of white salts?
Ans. White salts do not form coloured meta-borates.
196 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY—XII

34. What is Nessler’s Reagent?

Ans. It is a solution of mercuric iodide in potassium iodide. Its formula is K2[HgI4].
35. Name the acid radicals detected with dil. H2SO4?
Ans. CO32–, S2–, SO32–, NO2–.
36. Why is dil. H2SO4 preferred while testing acid radicals over dil. HCl?
Ans. When the salt is treated with HCl, during reaction HCl gas is also given out along with the
gas evolved by the salt. So the actual gas cannot be identified whereas with H2SO4, no such problem
arises.
37. Which anions are detected by conc. H2SO4 test.
Ans. Cl–, Br–, I–, NO3–, CH3COO–, C2O42–.
38. Name the radicals which are always tested using water extract.
Ans. NO3–, NO2– and CH3COO–.
39. How is sodium carbonate extract prepared?
Ans. The salt is mixed with double the amount of solid Na2CO3 and about 20 ml of distilled water.
It is then boiled till it is reduced to one-third, and then filtered. The filtrate is sodium carbonate
extract or (S.E.).
40. CO2 and SO2 both turn lime water milky. How will you distinguish between them?
Ans. By passing through acidified K2Cr2O7 solution. SO2 turns K2Cr2O7 green while CO2 has no
effect.
41. NO2 and Br2 both are brown in colour. How will you distinguish between them?
Ans. By passing through FeSO4 solution. NO2 turns FeSO4 soln. black while Br2 has no effect.
42. How will you test the presence of carbonate?
Ans. Treat a small quantity of the mixture with dil. H2SO4. CO2 gas is evolved. When the gas is
passed through lime water, it is turned milky.
Na2CO3 + 2HCl ⎯→ 2NaCl + H2O + CO2.
43. What is lime water?
Ans. A solution of Ca(OH)2 in water is called lime water.
44. What will happen if excess of CO2 is passed through lime water?
Ans. The white ppt. of CaCO3 changes into soluble calcium bicarbonate and the milkiness, there-
fore, disappears.
CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O ⎯→ Ca(HCO3)2.
45. How do you test for sulphide?
Ans. Warm the salt with dil. H2SO4. H2S gas is evolved. It turns a paper dipped in lead acetate
black.
Na2S + 2HCl ⎯→ 2NaCl + H2S
Pb(CH3COO)2 + H2S ⎯→ PbS + 2CH3COOH.
46. Name a gas other than CO2 which turns lime water milky?
Ans. Sulphur dioxide gas (SO2).
47. All nitrates on heating with conc. H2SO4 in presence of paper pallet evolve NO2 gas.
What is the function of paper pallet?
Ans. Paper pallet (carbon) reduces HNO3 to NO2
KNO3 + H2SO4 ⎯→ KHSO4 + HNO3
4HNO3 + C ⎯→ 2H2O + 4NO2 + CO2.
48. How is ring test performed for nitrates?
Ans. To the salt solution, freshly prepared ferrous sulphate solution is added and then sulphuric
acid (conc.) is added along the walls of the tube. A dark brown ring is formed at the junction of the
two solutions.
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 197

49. Why is the hot reaction mixture in case of conc. H2SO4 test not thrown into the sink?
Ans. In order to avoid spurting, due to which H2SO4 may fly and spoil clothes and may result into
serious injuries.
50. What is Tollen’s reagent?
Ans. Ammonical AgNO3 solution is called Tollen’s reagent.
51. Why does a dark brown ring form at the junction of two layers in ring test for nitrates?
Ans. H2SO4 being heavier forms the lower layer and reacts only with a small amount of nitrate and
FeSO4 at its surface, therefore, a brown ring appears at the junction of the two layers.
52. What is the formula of sodium nitroprusside?
Ans. Na2[Fe(CN)5 NO].
53. What is chromyl chloride test?
Ans. Heat a small amount of the mixture with conc. H2SO4 and solid K2Cr2O7 in a dry test tube.
Deep brownish red vapours of chromyl chloride are formed. Pass these vapours in water. A yellow
sol. of H2CrO4 is formed. Add to this solution NaOH, acetic acid and lead acetate, a yellow ppt.
confirms chloride in the mixture.
54. What is the chemistry of carbon disulphide test for a bromide or iodide?
Ans. To a part of the soda extract add dil. HCl. Now to this add small amount of CS2 and excess of
chlorine water and shake the solution well. Chlorine displaces bromine or iodine from the bromide
or iodide, which dissolves in carbon disulphide to produce orange or violet colouration.
2KBr + Cl2 ⎯→ 2KCl + Br2
2KI + Cl2 ⎯→ 2KCl + I2.
55. Why do bromides and iodides not respond to chromyl chloride test?
Ans. Because chromyl bromide (CrO2Br2) and chromyl iodide (CrO2I2) compounds are not formed,
instead of these bromine and iodine are evolved.
K2Cr2O7 + 6KI + 7H2SO4 ⎯→ 3I2 + Cr2(SO4)3 + 4K2SO4 + 7H2O
K2Cr2O7 + 6KBr + 7H2SO4 ⎯→ 3Br2 + Cr2(SO4)3 + 4K2SO4 + 7H2O.
56. Describe the chemistry of match stick test.
Ans. In match stick test, the sulphate is reduced to sulphide by carbon of match stick which then
gives violet colour with sodium nitroprusside solution.
ZnSO4 + Na2CO3 ⎯→ ZnCO3 + Na2SO4
Na2SO4 + 4C ⎯→ Na2S + 4CO
(Match
stick)
Na2S + Na2[Fe(CN)5NO] ⎯→ Na4[Fe(CN)5NOS]
Purple colour
57. Why does iodine give a blue colour with starch solution?
Ans. The blue colour is due to the formation of a complex between iodine and starch.
58. Why is original not prepared in conc. HNO3?
Ans. HNO3 is an oxidising agent which on decomposition gives oxygen. A yellow ppt. of sulphur is
obtained in presence of HNO3 when H2S is passed.
H2S + 2HNO3 ⎯→ 2NO2 + 2H2O + S.
59. Name group reagents for different groups.
Ans. Group I—Dil. HCl.
Group II—H2S in the presence of dil. HCl.
Group III—NH4OH in the presence of NH4Cl.
Group IV—H2S in the presence of NH4OH.
Group V—(NH4)2 CO3 in the presence of NH4Cl and NH4OH.
Group VI—No specific group reagent.
198 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY—XII

60. Why is it essential to add dil. HCl before proceeding to the test for the basic radicals of
group II?
Ans. Dilute HCl increases the concentration of H+ ions in the solution and hence suppresses the
dissociation of H2S due to common ion effect. As a result of which the sulphide ion concentration is
sufficient only to exceed the solubility products of the sulphides of group II cations.
Since the solubility products (Ksp) for the sulphides of groups III and IV cations are very high,
those cations are not precipitated under the above conditions.
61. Why is the O.S. boiled with conc. HNO3 in group III?
Ans. In the presence of NH4Cl, Fe(OH)2 is not completely precipitated because of its high solubility
product. For this reason Fe2+ salts are oxidised to Fe3+ salts by boiling with conc. HNO3 before
adding NH4Cl and NH4OH; otherwise Fe2+ would not be completely precipitated in III group.
62. Why is NH4Cl added along with NH4OH in group III?
Ans. It is done in order to decrease the concentration of OH– ions by suppressing the ionisation of
NH4OH by common ion effect. If NH4OH alone is used in that case, the concentration of OH– is
large enough to ppt. the hydroxide of IV, V and VI cations.
63. What is blue lake?
Ans. It is blue particles (blue litmus adsorbed on white ppt. of Al(OH)3 floating in colourless solution.
64. H2S gas is passed in presence of NH4OH in group IV. Explain why?
Ans. When H2S gas is passed in alkaline medium or NH4OH, the H+ ions from the dissociation of
H2S gas combine with hydroxyl ions (OH–) from the dissociation of NH4OH to form nearly union-
ised H2O.
H2S 2H+ + S2–
2NH4OH 2OH– + 2NH4+
H+ + OH– H2O
The removal of H+ ions from the solution causes more of H2S to dissociate, thereby increasing the
concentration of S2– ions to such an extent that the ionic product of IV group metal sulphides
exceeds their solubility product. Hence they are precipitated.
65. Presence of NH4Cl is quite essential before the addition of (NH4)2 CO3 in group V. Explain
why?
Ans. Ammonium chloride suppresses the ionisation of NH4OH and (NH4)2CO3 due to common ion
effect which results in the decrease in the concentration of OH– and CO32– ions. So the ionic product
does not exceed the solubility product of Mg(OH)2 or MgCO3 and thereby they are not precipitated
during analysis of group V cations.
66. Na2CO3 cannot be used in place of (NH4)2 CO3 in the group V. Explain why?
Ans. Na2CO3 is highly ionised electrolyte, which produces very high conc. of CO32– ions. As a result
ionic product of MgCO3 may exceed its Ksp and it may get precipitated along with the radicals
of V group.
67. An aqueous solution of HCl has conc. 10–8 M. What is the approximate value of pH of this
solution?
Ans. Slightly less than 7.
68. How will you prepare chlorine water?
Ans. Take conc. HCl in a test tube and add KMnO4 solution dropwise till the pink colour starts
persisting. Now add a few drops of conc. HCl so that pink colour disappears. The colourless solution
thus obtained is chlorine water.
69. Can we use ammonium sulphate in place of ammonium chloride in precipitation of
group III cations?
Ans. No, ammonium sulphate cannot be used because it would cause precipitation of group V
radicals as their sulphates during analysis of group III.
70. Name a cation which is not obtained from a metal?
Ans. Ammonium ion (NH4+).