CHEMISTRY VIVA QUESTIONS

Q1. What is Radical?

Ans. It is a group of atoms of one or more elements which behaves as a single entity & maintains its
identity in a chemical reaction. Ex. NH4+, Cl–, SO42- etc.
Q2. What is Acidic Radical?
Ans. The part of a salt which comes from acid is called acidic radical. Ex. Cl–, NO3–, SO42–
Q3. What is Basic Radical?
Ans. The part of a salt which comes from base is called basic radical. Ex. NH4+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Pb2+
Q4. What do you mean by qualitative analysis?
Ans. Qualitative analysis deals with the detection & identification of constituent elements or ions
present in a chemical substance.
Q5. Which burner is commonly used in laboratory?
Ans. Bunsen Burner
Q6. Which gas turns lime water milky?
Ans. CO2 & SO2. The compound formed when CO2 or SO2 is passed in lime water & the solution
becomes milky is CaCO3 (Calcium Carbonate) Or CaSO3 (Calcium Sulphite).
Q7. Why the milky colour disappears on passing excess of CO2 gas in lime water?
Ans.      Due to formation of soluble colourless calcium bicarbonate. Ca(HCO3)2
Q8. Name some interfering radicals?
Ans.    Sulphate (SO42 –), Borate (BO33 –), F– (Fluoride), Phosphate (PO43 –)
These are called interfering radicals because they interfere in the systematic analysis of basic radicals
after second group.
Q9. What are preliminary tests?
Ans. The tests which are done for getting an indication of the radicals are called preliminary tests.
Q10. Name a few preliminary tests.
Ans. Physical examination of salt, dry heating, the action of diluted and concentrated sulphuric acid
(H2SO4).
Q11. Which radicals are absent in a white salt?
Ans. Copper – Cu2+, Iron(II)- Fe2+, Iron(III) – Fe3+, Cobalt – Co2+, and Nickel – Ni2+
Q12. Can sulphuric acid be used for preparing the original solution?
Ans. No, because sulphuric acid will produce sulphates of the cations and some sulphates like lead
sulphate (PbSO4) are insoluble. So, we may not get the required clear original solution.
Q13. Why is ammonium chloride [NH4Cl] in III group? Can we add ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH)
first?
Ans. NH4Cl is added to prevent precipitation of radicals other than III group as hydroxides by common
ion effect. If we add NH4OH first, radical of group IV, V & VI will also precipitate and accordingly we
cannot do it.
Q14. Define common ion effect.
Ans. The phenomenon of suppressing the dissociation of weak electrolytes by adding strong
electrolyte having common ion is called common ion effect.
For e.g. (a) CH3COOH + H2O ↔ CH3COO- + H3O+
CH3COONa → CH3COO- + Na+
(b) NH4OH + aq ↔ NH4+ + OH-
NH4Cl → NH4+ + Cl-
Q15. Why is it essential to boil off hydrogen sulphide [H2S] gas before precipitating III group?
Ans. If H2S isn’t boiled off group IV cations will also get precipitated.
Q16. How does the addition of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) help in precipitation of cations as
sulphides?
Ans. Solubility product (Ksp) of Group IV sulphides is greater than those of group IV radicals. Thus, a
higher concentration of S2- ions are required to precipitate Group IV radicals as sulphides. OH– ions of
ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) with H+ ions of H2S, shift the equilibrium towards right or increasing
the concentration of S2- ions.
Q17. Black precipitates in Group IV indicate which cations?
Ans. Presence of either Ni2+ or Co2+.
Q18. Why can sodium hydroxide [NaOH] not be used instead of ammonium chloride [NH4Cl] and
ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH)?
Ans. NaOH is a very strong electrolyte and its ionization cannot be supressed. Moreover, it dissolves
precipitates of Al3+, and Cr3+ as a result of formation of complexes.
Q19. What is Nessler’s reagent?
Ans. K2HgI4 (mercuric iodide in potassium iodide)
Q20. Why dilute H2SO4 is preferred while testing acid radicals over dilute HCl?
Ans. Because sulphate ion is independent anion also sulphate salts have low solubilities as compared
to chloride salts.
Q21. Why freshly prepared Ferrous Sulphate Solution is used?
Ans. Because otherwise it gets oxidised to Basic ferric sulphate
4FeSO4 +2H2O+O2 –> 4Fe(OH)SO4
Q22. How can you identify Aliphatic & Aromatic Compound?
Ans. Aliphatic compound burns with non-smoky flame while aromatic compound burns with black &
smoky flame.
Q23. How can you test bromine & iodine with chloroform layer test?
Ans. Take sodium extract, acidity it with dil H2SO4 & add chloroform (or carbon tetrachloride) &
Chlorine water with shaking the contents vigorously & observe the colour of chloroform layer.
If layer becomes yellow or brown, then bromine is present.
If layer becomes purple or violet, then iodine is present.
 Q24. How can you test alcoholic group in organic compound?
 Ans. Take some organic compound & add cerric ammonium nitrate solution & shake. If a change in
colour from yellow to red occurs then it indicates the presence of alcoholic group.
Q25. What is the formula of cerric ammonium nitrate?
Ans. [(NH4)Ce(NO3)6]
Q26. How can you test phenolic group in organic compound?
Ans. (i) Aq. solution of phenol turns blue litmus solution or paper red.
(ii) Take aq. or Alc. solution of phenol & add few drops of neutral FeCl3, then violet blue or green or
red colour indicates the presence of phenolic gr.
Q27. How can you test of carboxylic acid group?
Ans. a) Aq. solution of compound turns blue litmus red.
b) Take aq. solution of compd & add solid NaHCO3, then effervescence due to evolution of CO2 gas
indicates the presence of carboxyl gr.
c) Take organic compd & add ethyl alcohol and small amount of Conc. H2SO4, Heat the contents &
cool then fruit like smell (ester formation) confirms the presence of carboxyl gr.)
 Q28.What is the test of carbonyl group (>C=0)?
 Ans. Aq. Solution of compd or Alc. Solution of compd & add small amount of 2,4-dinitrophenyl
hydrazine solution (Brady’s reagent), shake & warm gently & cool, then yellow orange ppt indicates
the presence of carbonyl gr. [Carbonyl gr. is present in both aldehyde & ketone)
Q29. What is the test of Aldehyde group?
Ans. i) Take organic compound & add Tollen’s reagent & heat, then silver mirror on the walls of test
tube or black ppt. indicates the presence of aldehyde gr.
ii) Take organic compd & add fehling solution A & Fehling Solution B, Then boil the contents, a red
ppt of cuprous oxide indicates the presence of aldehyde gr.
Q30. What is Tollen’s reagent?
Ans. Tollen’s reagent is ammonical solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3+NH4OH)
Q31. What is Fehling’s solution?
Ans. Fehling’s solution is a mixture of fehling’s A & B solutions in equal volume.
Fehling A solution is aq. copper sulphate solution while fehling B solution is a mixure of NaOH &
sodium potassium tartarate (Rochelle Salt)
 Q32. How can you test aldehyde group with Schiff’s reagent?
Ans. Organic compd & add schiff’s reagent, then pink colour indicates the presence of aldehyde gr.
Q33. What is schiff’s reagent?
Ans. It is an aq. Solution of p-rosaniline hydrochloride dye (Pink in Colour) which is made colourless
by passing SO2 gas
Q34. Which class of compds can be detected by Tollen’s reagent & Fehling’s solution?
Ans. Aldehydes & reducing carbohydrates
Q35. What is the test of ketonic group?
Ans. Organic compound & add freshly prepared sodium nitro prusside solution & excess of NaOH
solution, then a wine red colour indicates the presence of Ketonic gr.
Q36. How can you test Ketonic gr. with iodoform test?
Ans. Take some organic compound, add NaOH solution & excess of Iodine solution, heat & cool the
solution, a yellow ppt of iodoform confirms the presence of Ketonic gr.
Q37. How can you test carbohydrate?
Ans. Take aq. Solution of compound, add molisch reagent & shake the mixture, Add 1-2ml of conc.
H2SO4 with the side of test tube then a red-violet ring is formed at the junction of the two liquids
Q38. What is Molisch reagent?
Ans. 10% alcoholic solution of a-naphthol
Q39. How can you test primary amine (-NH2)?
Ans. a) Carbylamine test of Isocyanide Test– Take organic compound, add chloroform & Alc. KOH
solution Shake & heat gently then a very bad smell of isocyanide is produced.
b) Dye test (only for aromatic primary amine)-Take organic compound dissolve it in dil HCl cool the
solution 0-50C, add aq. NaNO2 Solution Prepare a dil. Solution of β-naphthol in NaOH in a separate
test tube & add into cold solution, then orange-red dye in formed.
Q40. Write the redox reactions involved in the titration of KMnO4 with Mohr’s salt?
Q41. Which type of reaction occurs in the titration of KMnO4 and oxalic acid?
Q42. Name an indicator used in above titration.

Q43. What is the formula and unit of strength?

Q44. Why do we heat oxalic acid during titration?
Q45. Why do we add sulphuric acid during the preparation of Mohr salt?
Q46. What is the end point in above titration?
Q47. Why such change occurs during the end point?
Q48. Why do we add sulphuric acid during titration?
Q49. What is the least count of burette that we use in the lab?
Q50. How much weight of Mohr salt is required to make M/30 solution (50mL)?