How to Prepare an Insoluble Salt (Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry (Modular))

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Prepare an insoluble salt

  • Insoluble salts can be prepared using a precipitation reaction

  • The solid salt obtained is the precipitate, thus in order to successfully use this method the solid salt being formed must be insoluble in water

  • The preparation of a soluble salt follows this pattern:

soluble salt 1 + soluble salt 2 ⟶  insoluble salt + soluble salt 3

AB + CD ⟶ AD + CB

  • The method involves measuring out a fixed volume of one solution and then adding the second salt solution until it is in a slight excess

    • This ensures the maximum amount of precipitate will be obtained

  • The precipitate is recovered by filtration and then it must be washed with distilled water remove reactants that are contaminating the residue (recovered solid)

    • It is then left to dry

  • This method is a good way to prepare silver and lead(II) salts which are often insoluble; the starting material will usually be the nitrate of silver or lead(II) since all nitrates are soluble

Examiner Tip

This reaction is also known as a double decomposition reaction.

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