Discussion of results: Multiple tests were done in order to identify and then confirm the identity of an unknown substance. The tests done to identify the compound included preliminary tests, solubility tests, and testing for anions and cations. In order to confirm the identity found, reactivity tests were then completed.
The first test performed was a preliminary test that simply showed that the unknown compound was a powdery, white solid with no smell. A qualitative solubility test was performed next. In this test, the substance was soluble in water, which proved it to be either polar or ionic, and insoluble in acetone, which proved the unknown substance to be an ionic compound. A quantitative solubility test was also performed, which showed that the solubility of …show more content…
The chloride test resulted in no evidence of a white precipitate, which pushed the team to conduct the sulfate test. During the sulfate test, the solution became cloudy, the unknown substance did not completely dissolve, and there was evidence of a white precipitate present. These two tests determined that there was a possibility that the sulfate ion (SO
) was present in the unknown compound. The cation test resulted in the appearance of a pale violet color within the flame. This color meant that the unknown compound could contain the potassium cation. These findings lead to the consensus that the unknown substance could be K
SO
. In order to guarantee that this was the identity of the substance, the team performed multiple reactivity tests. These reactions were down by combining our compound with HCl, NaOH, BaCl, CaCl
, and NaF. The substance was only found to be reactive with BaCl, forming a white precipitate. This happened because a double displacement reaction took place, which resulted in a solid, BaSO
. This further proved that the unknown substance truly was K
SO
.
Scientific explanations of
The first test performed was a preliminary test that simply showed that the unknown compound was a powdery, white solid with no smell. A qualitative solubility test was performed next. In this test, the substance was soluble in water, which proved it to be either polar or ionic, and insoluble in acetone, which proved the unknown substance to be an ionic compound. A quantitative solubility test was also performed, which showed that the solubility of …show more content…
The chloride test resulted in no evidence of a white precipitate, which pushed the team to conduct the sulfate test. During the sulfate test, the solution became cloudy, the unknown substance did not completely dissolve, and there was evidence of a white precipitate present. These two tests determined that there was a possibility that the sulfate ion (SO
) was present in the unknown compound. The cation test resulted in the appearance of a pale violet color within the flame. This color meant that the unknown compound could contain the potassium cation. These findings lead to the consensus that the unknown substance could be K
SO
. In order to guarantee that this was the identity of the substance, the team performed multiple reactivity tests. These reactions were down by combining our compound with HCl, NaOH, BaCl, CaCl
, and NaF. The substance was only found to be reactive with BaCl, forming a white precipitate. This happened because a double displacement reaction took place, which resulted in a solid, BaSO
. This further proved that the unknown substance truly was K
SO
.
Scientific explanations of