HBSC2103

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGES

SEMESTER SEPTEMBER / 2012

HBSC 2103

CHEMISTRY 1

MATRICULATION NO :

700908035084001

IDENTITY CARD NO. :

700908035084

TELEPHONE NO.

019-9542303

E-MAIL

malihanmustafa@yahoo.com.my

LEARNING CENTRE

Petaling Jaya

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1.0

INTRODUCTION
Salts play an important role in our daily life.It widely use in food preservation, in

agricultures, medicine and other uses.As an example in the agricultures field, nitrate salt
such as potassium nitrate ( KNO3 ) , sodium nitrate (NaNO3) )and ammonium salts such as
ammonium sulphate ( NH4)3SO42) , ammonia nitrate ( NH4NO3 ) are used as nitrogenous
fertelizers .While salts such as copper sulfate ( CuSO4 ) , iron (11) sulphate ( FESO4 ) and
mercury chloride ( HgCI ) are used as pesticides.In the medication field , most of the
medications are made off salts. Antacid medicine contain calcium carbonate CaCO3 and
calcium hydrogen carbonate Ca (HCO3 )2 that are used to reduce acidity in the stomachs
of gasrtric patients.Another familiar and popular examples is Panadol or paracetomol
which we use to relieve headaches and fever.Plasters of paris , used to support fractured
bones, also contain salt , calcium sulphate CaSO4. There are various type of salt occurs in
this world such as Sodium chloride NaCl, Copper (II) carbonate CuCO 3 and so on. Lead
nitrate Pb(NO3)2, lead carbonate PbCO3, potassium nitrate KNO3,

and potassium

carbonate K2CO3 are several types of them.

Salt is a an ionic compound produced when the hydrogen ion H + from an acid
replaced by a metal ion or an ammonium ion, NH 4. Salt consist of cations (positive ions)
originating from base that combined with anions (negative ions) originating from acids.
The cations and the anions of a salt are bonded by strong ionic bond.Not all salts are
soluble in water .There are soluble and non soluble salts. Soluble salts are salts that
dissolve in water at room temperature while salts that cannot dissolve in water are called
insoluble salts .Soluble salts can be prepared in the laboratory by four method .The four
method are reaction between an acid and alkali, reaction between acid and metal, reaction
between an acid and a metal carbonate and reaction between an acid and metal okside or
hydroxide.While

insoluble salts can be prepared by precipitation in a double

decomposition reaction.In the precipition method , an insoluble salt is precipitated when

two aqueous solutions containing the cations and the anions are mixed together.The
precipitate is then obtain by filteration.
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2.0

4 TYPES OF SUBSTANCES.

2.1

Lead nitrate Pb(NO3)2

Lead nitrate also known in IUPAC name as lead (II) nitrate. Lead nitrate is water soluble
salt with it solubility in water is about 52g/100mL at 20 Degree Celsius. It forms a
colourless solution when dissolved in water. It is also an inorganic compound compose of
nitric acid and lead. The chemical formula for lead nitrate is Pb(NO 3)2. Normally lead
nitrate occurs as colourless crystal, or white powder. Other name for lead nitrate is
plumbous nitrate, lead dinitrate, and plumb dulcis. Lead (II) nitrate also known as a toxic
salt, harmful and dangerous to environment. Besides that, lead (II) nitrate also is an
oxidizing agent, and is categorized as probably carcinogenic to human by International
Agency for Research on Cancer. So lead (II) nitrate must be handled and stored with the
appropriate safety precautions. It is important to avoid inhalation, ingestion and skin
contact. Normally lead (II) nitrate does not occur naturally. It can be obtained by
dissolving metallic lead in an aqueous nitric acid.
2.2

Lead carbonate PbCO3

Lead carbonate composed of lead and carbonic acid. Unlike lead nitrate, lead carbonate is
insoluble salt. It solubility in water is about 0.00011g/100mL. It is also known as crussite
and become a popular collection of mineral. Molecular formula for this salt is PbCO 3.
Lead carbonate, PbCO3 occurs as white powder at 20 Degree Celsius and melting at 315
Degree Celsius. Lead carbonate PbCO3 is also insoluble in alcohol but it is soluble in
acids and alkaline. Lead carbonate PbCO3 prepared industrially from lead (II) acetate and
carbon dioxide by passing carbon dioxide into a cold dilute solution of lead (II) acetate.

2.3

Potassium nitrate KNO3

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Potassium nitrate is also known as saltpeter or nitrate of potash. It is an ionic salt of

potassium ions, K+ and nitrate ions, NO3-. The chemical formula for this salt is KNO 3
and its molecular mass is about 101.1032g/mol. Potassium nitrate appears in white solid
and only melting at 334 Degree Celsius. It is odorless and soluble in water. It solubility in
water is about 383g/L at 25 Degree Celsius. It is slightly soluble in ethanol and also
soluble in glycerol and ammonia. Potassium nitrate KNO 3 is harmful if swallowed,
inhaled or absorbed on skin. It will cause irritation to skin and eyes area. Potassium
nitrate, KNO3 is highly used in fertilizer, food additive, fireworks and rockets propellants.
Combination of ammonium nitrate and potassium hydroxide will produced potassium
nitrate. This is shown by the equation:
NH4NO3 (aq) + KOH (aq)
ammonium nitrate (aqueous) + potassium hydroxide (aqueous)

2.4

NH3 (g) + KNO3 (aq) + H2O (l)

ammonia(gases)+ potassium nitrate (aqueous) + water (liquid)

Potassium carbonate K2CO3

Potassium carbonate is a white salt which is soluble in water but in soluble in alcohol and
acetone. When dissolve in water, potassium carbonate will form a strong alkaline
solution. Other names for potassium carbonate K2CO3 are potash and pearl ash. Molar
mass for potassium carbonate, K2CO3 is about 138.205g/mol with density 2.29g/cm3. The
absorbance reaction between potassium hydroxide KOH and carbon dioxide CO2 will
produce potassium carbonate, K2CO3. Usually potassium carbonate is used in production
of glass and soap.

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3.0

HOW TO IDENTIFIED AND FIND OUT THE SUBSTANCE

The given substance can be indentified using the

Qualitative Analysis. Qualitative

analysis is a chemical methods or technique to determine the substances present in a

compound through certain chemical test. The cation and anion in salt normally can be
identified through: The technique of qualitative analysis includes .
i) Colour and solubility of the salt
ii) Confirmatory test for anion
iii) Confirmatory test for cation
iv) Gas test
v) Effect of heat on salt
3.1

Identified The Colour and Solubility Of The Salt

The colour of the salt can be identified by observation. As the colour of lead nitrate,
Pb(NO2)3, lead carbonate, PbCO3 , potassium nitrate, KNO3, and potassium carbonate,
K2CO3, are same in colour, it is difficult to differentiate between them. So, the next test is
test for the solubility of the salt.The apparatus needed to carry out this test are test tubes,
glass rods, spatula and test tube holder.The given substance is put in the test tube using a
spatula,Distilled water are added to the above test tube.The mixture is strirred and the
solubility of salt is observed. From these four types of salt mention before, only lead
carbonate, PbCO3, is insoluble in water.So if the substance is insoluble in the water the
substance is lead carbonate, PbCO3. But, if the substance is soluble, the salt must proceed
to the other test for identified whether it is potassium carbonate, K 2CO3, potassium
nitrate, KNO3, or lead nitrate, Pb(NO2)3.
3.2

Confirmatory Test For Anion

Anions that are normally tested in qualitative analysis are carbonate ions CO 32, Chloride
ions, Cl- , Sulphate ions, SO42, and nitrate ions, NO3. Since, the anion present in
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potassium nitrate, KNO3, lead nitrate, Pb(NO2)3, and potassium carbonate K2CO3, are
nitrate ions and carbonate ions, so the anions test is just for carbonate ion test and nitrate
ion test. The apparatus used in this experiment are test tubes, and delivery tube with
stopper. Before a chemical test can be performed, the salt needs to be dissolved in water
first to produce an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution then divides into two test
tubes. The first test tube is used to test the present of carbonate ions CO32-.
3.2.1

Carbonate ion test:

i.

About 2 cm-3 of unidentified salt solution is poured into the test tube.
Then, a little dilute hydrochloric acid, HCl, is added into the solution. Gas
that produced is passing through lime juice. Lime juice is used to indicate
the present of carbon dioxide gases.

ii.

If the carbonate ions, CO3- present, the effervescence occurs and the gas
released by the salt solution will clouds the lime juice.

iii.

When there is the present of carbonate ions, CO 3-, adding hydrochloric

acid will produced carbon dioxide gas and water. This is due to the
hydrogen ions in hydrochloric acids combine with oxygen from carbonate
ions to produced water. The equation is shown below:
CO32-(aq) + 2H+ (aq)
Carbonate ions (aqoues) + 2 hydrogen ions

C02 (g) + H2O (l)

carbon dioxide (gases) + water (liquid)

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Figure 1: Carbonate ions CO32- test.

3.2.2
i.

Nitrate ions test:

About 2 cm3 of unidentified salt solution is poured into a test tubes and
about 2cm3 dilute sulphuric acids then added to the solution followed by
the addition of 2cm3 of iron(II)sulphate, FeSO4, solution. After that,
several drops of concentrated sulphuric acids, H2SO4, are added slowly
into the solution. At this time the test tube must be slant and do not shake.

ii.

If brown ring form, it is shown the present of nitrate ions NO 3-. If not,
there is absence of nitrate ions NO3- in the solutions.

Nitrate ions test is also known as brown ring test. Addition of the iron(II)sulphate,
FeSO4 to a solution of nitrate, and then followed with slowly addition of
concentrated sulphuric acids, H2SO4, will form a layer below an aqueous solution.
A brown ring is form at the junction of the two layers which indicate the presence
of nitrate ions. The overall reaction is shown below:
NO3- + 3Fe2+ + 4H+ 3Fe3+ + NO + 2H2O
[Fe(H2O)6]2+ + NO [Fe(H2O)5(NO)]2+ + H2O
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This reaction shows reduction of the nitrate ion by iron (II) which is oxidized to
iron(III) and formation of a nitrosonium complex.

Figure 2: Nitrate ions, NO3- test (Brown ring test).

So, by using anions test, it can shows whether there is the present of nitrate ions NO 3or carbonate ions CO32- in the unidentified salt solution. If carbonate ions, CO 32- , is
present, the salt is potassium carbonate. But if nitrate ions NO 3-, is present in the
unidentified salt solution, it is either potassium nitrate, KNO 3, or lead nitrate Pb(NO3)2 .
To shows whether it potassium nitrate, KNO3, or lead nitrate, Pb(NO3)2, conformation test
for cation must be done.

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3.3

Confirmatory Test For Cation.

Normally in solid form, cation can be classified into coloured cation and white cation.
The same as test for anions, test for cation also needs the salt to be dissolved in water to
form aqueous solution. In an aqueous solution the cation can be divide into two, one is
colourless aqueous cation solution and the other one is coloured aqueous cation solutions.
Colour blue indicate the present of copper, CU2+, Green for the present of FE2+ and
Brown showed the present of Fe3+. For the present of cation such as lead Pb 2+ , zinc Zn2+,
calcium Ca2+, and so on, the solution is colourless. As in this laboratory test, we have to
differentiate between potassium nitrate and lead nitrate, the cation test is just to test the
present of lead ions Pb2+.
To test the present of lead ions, test tube and sodium hydroxide NaOH solutions is
needed. First, 1cm3 of unidentified salt solution is poured into test tube. Then, sodium
hydroxide, NaOH solution is added drop by drop until excess while shaking it. If the
present of lead ions Pb2+, the white precipitate is occurs when sodium hydroxide NaOH is
added and the white precipitated then soluble in access of sodium hydroxide NaOH. The
present of lead ions will shows that the salt is lead nitrate, Pb(NO 3)2 but if the salt
solutions shows the absent of the lead ions, it is potassium nitrate KNO3.

Figure 3: Test for cation Pb2+

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3.4

Effect of Heat On Nitrate Salt and Carbonate Salt

3.4.1

Effect Of Heat On Nitrat

Heating test on salt also can be done to identified either it is nitrate salt or carbonate
salt .All ammonium , carbonate , nitrate and some sulphates salts will decomposed when
heated.All ammonium salts liberate ammonia gas when heated.All carbonates except
potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate produce carbon diokside gas when heated .To
test the effet off heat on carbonate salts the exsperimen below can be carried out.
Apparatus : Boiling tube, test tube , test tube holder , delivery tube with rubber stopper ,
spatula and Bunsen burner.
Materials : Potasium carbonate and lead (11) carbonate or an known substance given
and lime water.
Prosedure
1. One spatula of substance is placed in dry boiling tube and the colour of solid is
recorded.
2. The boiling tube is fitted with a stopper with a delivery tube.
3. The carbonate salt is heated slowly and then strongly.
4. Any gas evolved is passed through the delivery tube into the lime water.The effect
of lime water is recorded
5. When there is no further change .The colour of residue when it is hot is
recorded.The colour of residue when it is cold to room temperature is also
recorded.
6. The experiment is set up as shown in figure 4.

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Substance

Figure 4 Heating test on carbonate salts

Result
Effect on
Carbonate Salt

Colour Of Salt

Pottassium

before heating
white

Caobonate,K2CO3
Lead(11)
carbonate, PbCO3

white

Calour of residue
When hot
When cold
white
brown

limewater

white

No visible

yellow

change
Limewater turn
milky

Discussion
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When lead carbonate is heated , Lead (11 ) oxide and carbon dioxide gas are produced.
PbCO3(s )

PbO(S) + CO2(g)

Lead (11) oxide is brown when hot and yellow when cool

Conclusion
Potassium carbonate will not decomposed on heating ,So only Lead(11) carbonate is
decomposed to lead (11) okside and carbon dioxide gas which milky the limewater.So
the substances are lead (11) carbonate.

3.4.2

Effect of heat on nitrate salt

All nitrate decomposed when heated. Nitrate salts will produced oxygen gas , nitrogen
dioxide gas and metal oksides when heated .To identify the the nitrate substance we can
carried out an experiment given below.
Apparatus
Boilong tubes, litmus paper , test tube holder, woodent splint , spatula and Bunsen burner
Material
Nitrate salt

Procedure
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1. One spatula of nitrate is placed in dry boiling tube and the colour of solid is noted.
2. The boiling tube is fitted with a stopper with a delivery tube.
3. The nitrate salt is heated slowly and then strongly.
4. Any gas evolved is tested by a glowing wooden splint ( Figure 6 a ) and moist
blue litmus paper ( Figure 6 b ) .The result are recorded.
5. When there is no further change,.the colour of residue is recorded when it is
hot .The colour of residue is recorded again when the residue is cooled to room
temperature .If the salts are nitare the result as followed

Figure 6(a ) and 6 (b)

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Result
Colour of
Salt

salt before
heating

Potassium

white

Colour of residue
When
When
hot

white

Colour of

Test on gas
Effect on

Effect on

gas

glowing

moist blue

wooden

Litmus

splint
Colourless Rekindles

paper
No

cold

white

nitrate,

Change

KNO3
Lead

white

brown

yellow

brown

Rekindles

Turn Red

Pb(NO3)2.
Discussion
The brown gas that changed moist blue litmus paper to red is nitrogen dioxside gas.The
gas that rekindles a glowing wooden block splint is oxygen gas.
Conclusion
All nitrate salt decomposed on heating.Potassium nitrate

and plumbum nitrate

decomposed to oxygen when heated .If the result as above the substances are nitrate salt
4KNO3(s) 2K2O(s) + 2N2(g) + 5O2(g)
2 Pb(NO3)2 (s) 2 PbO (s) + 4 NO2 (g) + O2 (g)

4.0

Method To Prepared Lead Carbonate PbCO3

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Lead carbonate is an insoluble salt. The formula for lead carbonate is PbCO 3 and usually
this salt is also known as Cerussite. Usually present in colourless or white, also yellow,
grey and even blue green. One properties of this salt is it is very soluble in acid or alkali
but insoluble in alcohol or ammonia while it solubility in water is about 0.00011g/100Ml
at 20 Degree Celsius.
This salt can be prepared through precipitation reaction or known as double
decomposition reaction. Double decomposition reaction is the reaction normally used to
prepare insoluble salt such as lead carbonate PbCO3, lead sulfate PbSO4, lead chloride
PbCl2, zinc carbonate ZnCO3, silver chloride AgCl, and so on. This reaction involves the
exchange of ions to produce insoluble salt by mixing the aqueous solution that containing
the ion of the insoluble salt that to be formed. This reaction can be shown as:
A-B + C-D

A-C + B-D

So, to produce PbCO3, the soluble salt can be used are lead nitrate Pb(NO 3)2 and
potassium carbonate KCO3. To produce 1mol of lead carbonate PbCO 3, 1 mol of lead
nitrate Pb(NO3)2 and 1 mol of potassium carbonate KCO3 needed. This is due to the
chemical equation:
Pb(NO3)2 + KCO3

PbCO3 + 2KNO3

The equation shows that 1 mol of lead nitrate Pb(NO 3)2 react with 1 mol of potassium
carbonate KCO3 will produce 1 mol of lead carbonate PbCO3 and 2 mol of potassium
nitrate KNO3. Before started this reaction, the materials needs are 1 mol dm- 3 of
potassium carbonate KCO3 and 1mol dm-3 lead nitrate Pb(NO3)2. Apparatus used in this
laboratory activity are two of 250cm3 beakers, glass rod, filter paper, and filter funnel.
Then, 50cm3 of 1mol dm-3 of lead nitrate Pb(NO3)2 is added to the same amount of 1 mol
dm-3 of potassium carbonate KCO3 in a beaker.

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The mixture then stirred by using glass rod for about two or three minutes. After that,
leave the mixture for a while, and you will see the precipitated are formed. This
precipitated is lead carbonate PbCO3 precipitation.
The next step is filtered the mixture with filtered paper. By using the filter paper,
lead carbonate PbCO3 precipitate can be separate from potassium nitrate KNO3 .The salt
crystal or lead carbonate precipitation then will stick at the filter paper while the soluble
salt potassium nitrate will go through the filter paper. A small amount of distilled water
then used to rinse the salt. This is to make sure the access of potassium nitrate KNO 3 will
be removed from the lead carbonate PbCO3 precipitated. Lead carbonate precipitated then
dried under the sunlight or using microwave. The dried lead carbonate then is able to be
used.
From this double decomposition reaction, precipitation that occurs between lead
nitrate and lead carbonate solution is:
Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + KCO3 (aq)

PbCO3 (s) + 2KNO3 (aq)

This precipitated reaction also can be represent in ionic equation as:

Pb2+ (aq)

CO32- (aq)

Lead ion (aqueous solution) + Carbonate ion (aqueous solution)

PbCO3 (s)
lead carbonate (solid)

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Figure 7 : Preparation of insoluble salt lead carbonate PbCO3

For the conclusion, PbCO3 can be prepared through double decomposition
reaction between lead nitrate Pb(NO3)2 and potassium carbonate KCO3 solutions. Lead
ions Pb2+ will combine with carbonate ions CO32- to produce solid lead carbonate PbCO3.

3125 words
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References
1. Tok Kheng, Yeap. (2009) Essential Chemistry. Selangor: Pearson Longman.
2. Tan Yin Toon, Loh wai and Tan On Tin (2012 ) Success Chemistry
SPM.Selangor:Oxford Fajar Sdn Bhd.
3. Dr Tan Juat Ngoh, Dr Asha Kumarai Chunnu Lal and Zulkefli Daud ( 2012 )
HBSC2103 CHEMISTRY 1, Selangor.Meteor Doc.
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_nitrate
5. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081118002025AAKz0Pp
6. http://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chemical/3742
7. http://www.gravitaindia.com/leadnitrate.html
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_carbonate
9. http://www.galleries.com/Cerussite
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrate_test
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_methathesis

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