Preparation of salts
7.3What the syllabus asks of you
- Describe the preparation, separation and purification of soluble salts by reaction of an acid with: (a) an alkali by titration (b) excess metal (c) excess insoluble base (d) excess insoluble carbonate
- Describe the preparation of insoluble salts by precipitation
- Describe the general solubility rule for salts: (a) sodium, potassium and ammonium salts are soluble (b) nitrates are soluble (c) chlorides are soluble, except lead and silver (d) sulfates are soluble, except barium, calcium and lead (e) carbonates are insoluble, except sodium, potassium and ammonium (f) hydroxides are insoluble, except sodium, potassium, ammonium and calcium (partially)
- Define a hydrated substance as a substance that is chemically combined with water and an anhydrous substance as a substance containing no water
- Define the term water of crystallisation as the water molecules present in hydrated crystals, including CuSO4•5H2O and CoCl 2•6H2O
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Chapter 7: Preparation of salts
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42 questions
1Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Asodium chloride and barium nitrate
Bsodium chloride and lead nitrate
Csodium sulfate and barium chloride
Dsodium sulfate and lead chloride
Mark scheme
2Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Aammonium chloride and ammonium carbonate
Bcopper carbonate and copper hydroxide
Clead nitrate and lead chloride
Dzinc sulfate and zinc hydroxide
Mark scheme
3May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q39Also set in May / June 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
ADissolve it in dilute hydrochloric acid, add dilute sulfuric acid, filter and crystallise.
BDissolve it in dilute hydrochloric acid, add dilute sulfuric acid, filter and wash.
CDissolve it in water, add dilute sulfuric acid, filter and crystallise.
DDissolve it in water, add dilute sulfuric acid, filter and wash.
Mark scheme
4Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Alead nitrate, magnesium nitrate, lead chloride, lead sulfate and magnesium sulfate
Blead nitrate, magnesium nitrate, lead chloride and lead sulfate only
Clead nitrate, magnesium nitrate and lead chloride only
Dlead nitrate and magnesium nitrate only
Mark scheme
5Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Acopper(II) sulfate, magnesium sulfate, silver chloride, sodium chloride
Bsodium sulfate, copper(II) sulfate, sodium chloride, silver chloride
Cpotassium chloride, sodium chloride, copper(II) sulfate, magnesium sulfate
Dpotassium sulfate, sodium chloride, silver chloride, copper(II) sulfate
Mark scheme
6May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Abarium carbonate and dilute sulfuric acid
Bbarium carbonate and sodium sulfate
Cbarium chloride and sodium sulfate
Dbarium hydroxide and concentrated sulfuric acid
Mark scheme
7May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Acalcium chloride
Blead nitrate
Cmagnesium carbonate
Dpotassium sulfate
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8May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AThe ratio of CoCl2 : H2O in hydrated cobalt(II) chloride is 6 : 1.
BThe ratio of CuSO4 : H2O in hydrated copper(II) sulfate is 1 : 5.
CWhen a saturated solution is heated, the water that evaporates is called the water of crystallisation.
DWhen white copper(II) sulfate is heated, blue crystals are formed.
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9Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Achloride
Bmagnesium
Cpotassium
Dsulfate
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10Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AA hydrated substance is a soluble ionic compound such as barium sulfate.
BA hydrated substance is an ionic compound that contains no water.
CA hydrated substance is one that is chemically combined with hydrogen.
DA hydrated substance is one that is chemically combined with water.
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11Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
A3
B4
C5
D6
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12May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Acarbonates
Bchlorides
Cnitrates
Dsulfates
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13Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q29Also set in Oct / Nov 2022 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aaqueous lead(II) nitrate
Blead foil
Cpowdered lead(II) carbonate
Dpowdered lead(II) oxide
Mark scheme
14Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q30Show mark scheme →
Acopper and hydrochloric acid
Bexcess copper(II) carbonate and hydrochloric acid
Caqueous silver nitrate and hydrochloric acid
Daqueous sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid
Mark scheme
15May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q27Show mark scheme →
Aadding AgCl(s) to KNO₃(aq)
Badding excess K₂CO₃(s) to HCl(aq)
Cmixing KNO₃(aq) with NaCl(aq)
Dtitrating KOH(aq) with HCl(aq)
Mark scheme
16May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q28Show mark scheme →
Alead chloride; sodium sulfate; crystallisation
Blead chloride; sodium sulfate; filtration
Clead nitrate; potassium sulfate; crystallisation
Dlead nitrate; potassium sulfate; filtration
Mark scheme
17May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q27Show mark scheme →
A1 → 7 → 5 → 4 → 2 → 6 → 3
B3 → 5 → 7 → 1 → 2 → 4 → 6
C4 → 1 → 3 → 5 → 2 → 6 → 7
D5 → 4 → 1 → 3 → 7 → 2 → 6
Mark scheme
18May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q28Show mark scheme →
Asodium ✓, calcium ✓, carbonate ✗, nitrate ✓
Bsodium ✓, calcium ✗, carbonate ✓, nitrate ✗
Csodium ✗, calcium ✓, carbonate ✓, nitrate ✗
Dsodium ✗, calcium ✓, carbonate ✓, nitrate ✓
Mark scheme
19Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q23Also set in Oct / Nov 2021 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
ANaCl
BK2SO4
CCa(NO3)2
DPbSO4
Mark scheme
20Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2 only
B1 and 3 only
C1, 2 and 3
D1, 2 and 4
Mark scheme
21May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Aprecipitation, barium nitrate, filtration, evaporated
Bprecipitation, lead sulfate, evaporation, washed and dried
Cprecipitation, lead sulfate, filtration, washed and dried
Dtitration, barium nitrate, evaporation, washed and dried
Mark scheme
22May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
AW x, X ✓, Y x, Z ✓
BW ✓, X x, Y ✓, Z x
CW ✓, X x, Y ✓, Z ✓
DW ✓, X x, Y x, Z x
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23Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 11 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Ainsoluble / insoluble
Binsoluble / soluble
Csoluble / insoluble
Dsoluble / soluble
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24Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 11 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Alead(II) carbonate and dilute hydrochloric acid
Blead metal and dilute hydrochloric acid
Caqueous lead(II) nitrate and dilute hydrochloric acid
Dlead(II) oxide and dilute hydrochloric acid
Mark scheme
25Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2
B3 and 4
C1 and 3
D2 and 4
Mark scheme
26Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Asilver and hydrochloric acid; crystallisation
Bsilver and hydrochloric acid; filtration
Csilver nitrate and hydrochloric acid; crystallisation
Dsilver nitrate and hydrochloric acid; filtration
Mark scheme
27Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aboth soluble | insoluble
Bboth soluble | soluble
Cone soluble, one insoluble | insoluble
Done soluble, one insoluble | soluble
Mark scheme
28Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Acopper(II) carbonate
Bcopper(II) oxide
Ccopper(II) hydroxide
Dcopper(II) nitrate
Mark scheme
29May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q22Show mark scheme →
AAdd copper to aqueous zinc sulfate.
BAdd copper to dilute sulfuric acid.
CAdd copper(II) carbonate to aqueous sodium sulfate.
DAdd copper(II) oxide to dilute sulfuric acid.
Mark scheme
30May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
AAdd silver nitrate to chlorine.
BAdd silver to hydrochloric acid.
CBurn silver in chlorine.
DMix aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and sodium chloride.
Mark scheme
31Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 11 · Q21Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2
B1 and 3
C2 and 4
D3 and 4
Mark scheme
32Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Abarium
Bcalcium
Cpotassium
Dsilver
Mark scheme
33May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Asubstance X: aqueous lead(II) nitrate; substance Y: aqueous sodium sulfate; method after filtration: crystallise the filtrate
Bsubstance X: aqueous lead(II) nitrate; substance Y: aqueous sodium sulfate; method after filtration: wash and dry the residue
Csubstance X: solid lead(II) carbonate; substance Y: dilute sulfuric acid; method after filtration: crystallise the filtrate
Dsubstance X: solid lead(II) carbonate; substance Y: dilute sulfuric acid; method after filtration: wash and dry the residue
Mark scheme
34May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Aaqueous copper(II) nitrate and aqueous sodium chloride
Bcopper and chlorine
Ccopper and dilute hydrochloric acid
Dcopper(II) oxide and dilute hydrochloric acid
Mark scheme
35Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 11 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Aaqueous silver nitrate
Bsolid silver
Csolid silver carbonate
Dsolid silver oxide
Mark scheme
36Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aaqueous barium nitrate added to aqueous sodium chloride
Baqueous sodium carbonate added to aqueous calcium chloride
Ccarbon dioxide passed through aqueous potassium chloride
Ddilute hydrochloric acid added to aqueous ammonia
Mark scheme
37Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 11 · Q23Show mark scheme →
A3
B4
C5
D6
Mark scheme
38Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q20Also set in Oct / Nov 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Agreen, insoluble, precipitation
Bgreen, soluble, metal and acid
Cwhite, insoluble, precipitation
Dwhite, soluble, metal and acid
Mark scheme
39May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Alead and sodium chloride
Blead(II) nitrate and sodium chloride
Clead(II) carbonate and sodium chloride
Dlead and hydrochloric acid
Mark scheme
40May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Abarium
Bcalcium
Clead
Dmagnesium
Mark scheme
41May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aaqueous lead(II) nitrate and aqueous copper(II) sulfate
Baqueous sodium hydroxide and solid ammonium sulfate
Cdilute hydrochloric acid and aqueous sodium carbonate
Ddilute hydrochloric acid and magnesium
Mark scheme
42May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q30Show mark scheme →
A2Na2CO3.10H2O(s) → 4Na(s) + 2CO2(g) + O2(g) + 10H2O(g)
BNa2CO3.10H2O(s) → Na2CO3(s) + 10H2O(g)
CNa2CO3.10H2O(s) → NaHCO3(s) + NaOH(s) + 9H2O(g)
DNa2CO3.10H2O(s) → Na2O(s) + CO2(g) + 10H2O(g)
Mark scheme