PREPARATION OF SALTS

SUITABLE FOR
FORM 2,3,AND 4

FORM 2
Solubility of salts
All salts of Na, K, and NH4+ are soluble
All nitrates (NO3-), acetates (CH3COO-), hypochlorite (OCl- ),
chlorates (ClO3-), HCO3- and perchlorates (ClO4-) are soluble
All sulphates are soluble except those of Pb2+, Ba2+ and Ca2+
but caso4 is sparingly soluble (mnemonic SULEBACA)
All chlorides are soluble except those of Pb 2+ and Ag+ but PbCl2
soluble in hot water(mnemonic CLESI)
All metal oxides, metal hydroxides, and carbonates are insoluble
except those of Na, K, and
Solubility of salts- Nitrates
Solubility of salts- Carbonates
Solubility of salts- Sulphates and chlorides
SPECIFIC LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson the learner should be
able to:
Describe how to prepare soluble salt.
Describe how to prepare insoluble salt.
Describe how to prepare insoluble salt
Separate a mixture of salts.
PREPARATION OF SOLUBLE SALT.

Metal
Metal Oxide
Metal Hydroxide
Metal Carbonate
+ACID.
Metal Hydogen
Carbonate
Preparation of soluble salt.
1. Add excess metal, metal oxide, metal
hydroxide, metal carbonate or hydrogen
carbonate to a dilute acid
2. Filter
3. Heat the filtrate to saturation and cool to
crystalize.
 Points note.
1. Excess metal, metal oxide, metal
hydroxide, metal carbonate or hydrogen
carbonate to make sure all the acid has
reacted .

2. Filter (to remove the unreacted acid)

Sample question with answers
Q1
Starting with magnesium metal describe how you can
prepare a solid sample of magnesium chloride (3 marks)
Answer
Add excess magnesium metal to dilute hydrochloric
acid,filter, heat the filtrate to saturation and cool to crystalize.
Q2
Starting with Zinc metal describe how you can prepare a
solid sample of Zinc Sulphate. (3 marks)
Add excess zinc metal to dilute sulphuric (VI) acid,
filter to remove unreacted zinc metal and Zinc
Sulphate as filtrate. Heat the FILTRATE to
saturation and allow it cool for crystals to form .
Filter .
Q3
Starting with Zinc carbonate describe how you can prepare a
solid sample of Zinc Sulphate. (3 marks)
Add excess zinc carbonate metal to dilute sulphuric
(VI) acid, filter to remove unreacted zinc carbonate
and Zinc Sulphate as filtrate. Heat the FILTRATE
to saturation and allow it cool for crystals to form .
Filter .
Q4
Starting with copper metal describe how you can prepare a
solid sample of copper (II) chloride. (3 marks)
Heat copper in air to form CuO. Add excess CuO to
dilute HCl to form CuCl2, filter to remove unreacted
CuO and CuCl2 as filtrate. Heat the FILTRATE to
saturation and allow it cool for crystals to form .
Filter .
Common mistake students make is that they
start by reacting copper metal with dilute acids
and copper being below hydrogen in the
reactivity series does not react with dilute acids
and candidates loses all the marks, such
candidates are called as non-starters
Q5
Starting with sodium metal explain how a solid sample
of NaHCO3 can be prepared.(3 marks)
Cut a small piece of sodium metal and place in a
given amount of distilled water . Bubble excess carbon
(IV) oxide into the resulting solution (NaOH) to form
sodium hydrogen carbonate solution . Heat the
resulting solution to saturation and allow it cool for
crystals to form . Filter .
Q6
Describe how a sample of sodium chloride can be
prepared in the laboratory by direct synthesis.(3 marks)
Cut a piece of sodium metal. Place it on a
deflagrating spoon, heat it briefly then
lower it into a gas jar of chlorine gas. It
will continue burning forming sodium
chloride.
Q7
Describe how a solid sample of the double salt
Ammonium Aluminium sulphate can be prepared
using the following reagents: ammonia, sulphuric (VI)
acid and aluminium metal.
Add Aluminium metal to dilute sulphuric (VI) acid
to form aqueous Al2SO4 . Add aqueous ammonia
to dilute sulphuric (VI) acid to form aqueous
(NH4)2SO4. Mix the two solutions obtained .Heat
the resulting the solution saturation and allow it
cool for crystals to grow. filter to obtain the double
salt.
Q8
Starting with 50cm3 of 2.8M sodium hydroxide,
describe how a sample of pure sodium sulphate
crystals can be prepared. Mole ratio H2SO4
:NaOH = 1:2
Hint … Mole ratio H2SO4 :NaOH = 1:2
Answer;
Add 50cm3 of 1.4 M/ 25cm3 of 2.8M sulphuric (VI) acid to 50cm3
of 2.8M sodium hydroxide and stir. Heat the resulting solution to
saturation, cool to crystallize, filter and dry crystals between filter
papers .
 PREPARATION OF INSOLUBLE SALT.

1. Must involve double decomposition.

2.Add excess metal, metal oxide, metal

hydroxide, metal carbonate to a dilute acid.
3. Addaqueous solution of sodium or
potassium containing the corresponding
anion
 PREPARATION OF INSOLUBLE SALT.
4. Filter
wash the residue with distilled
water and dry it between filter papers
5.Incase the salt to be prepared is a salt of copper
first burn the metal in air to form metal oxide
Illustration of double decomposition
Illustration of double decomposition
Illustration of double decomposition
 6. Starting with copper metal describe how you can prepare
a solid sample of CuCO3, refer to guide number
Heat copper in air to form CuO, add excess CuO to
dilute HCl to form CuCl2, filter to remove unreacted
CuO and CuCl2 as filtrate, add aqueous Na2CO3 to
the filtrate to precipitate CuCO3 filter to obtain
CuCO3 as residue wash it with distilled water and
dry it between filter papers.
1.Starting with PbO explain how you can prepare a solid sample of PbSO 4

Add excess PbO to dilute Nitric (V) acid to form Pb(NO 3)2, filter
to remove uncreated PbO as residue and Pb(NO3)2 as filtrate,
add Na2SO4 solution to the filtrate to precipitate PbSO4,filter to
obtain PbSO4 as residue and wash it with distilled water and
dry it between filter papers
Common mistake students make is that they start by reacting
lead metal with dilute Sulphuric (VI) acid to form PbSO4 and
reaction by between lead metal and the acid immediately stops
due to formation of insoluble PbSO4 which coats the metal
preventing further reaction between the acid and metal, the
candidate loses all the marks
Starting with solid Aluminium Sulphate, describe how a
solid sample of Aluminium hydroxide could be prepared.
(3mks)
Add distilled water to aluminium sulphate to dissolve. √½
Add aqueous ammonia hydroxide √ to
aluminium sulphate solution, to precipitate Aluminum
hydroxide,Filter. √½,Wash the residue with distilled water.
Dry it between filter papers √½
Common mistake students make is that the Common mistake
students react the soluble salt with aqueous sodium hydroxide.
When preparing Al(OH)3, or Pb(OH)2 aqueous NaOH can not be
used because the amphoteric Al(OH)3, or Pb(OH)2 will dissolve in
excess, hence aqueous ammonia is the suitable alkali to use.
PREPARATION OF DOUBLE SALTS
Double salt are prepared by mixing two soluble salts which react to form the
double salt ,usually a complex salt preparation of ammonium iron (II) sulphate;
this salt is prepared by mixing ammonium sulphate solution with iron (II)
sulphate solution, then you evaporate the resulting solution to saturation and
allowing it to cool to form crystals then filter and dry the crystal between filter
papers. In a normal examination set up the starter reagent determines the
procedure to use e.g
 
7. Starting with solid
Aluminium sulphate,
describe how a solid sample of Aluminium
hydroxide could be prepared. (3mks)
Add distilled water to aluminium sulphate to
dissolve. √½
Add aqueous Ammonia √ to Aluminium sulphate
solution, to precipitate Aluminum hydroxide,Filter.
√½,Wash the residue with distilled water. Dry it
between filter papers √½
Salt preparation at a glance
.

.
SEPARATION OF SALTS
To separate a mixture containing soluble and
insoluble substance e.g salt X soluble ,salt Y –
insoluble
Add distilled water to the mixture and stir, X
dissolve and Y does not dissolve, filter to
obtain Y as residue and solution of X as
filtrate, heat the filtrate to saturation and
allow it to cool for crystal to form .filter,
Q1
Describe the process of separating sodium chloride
crystals mixed with calcium carbonate powder

Add distilled water to the mixture, stir to dissolve

sodium chloride, filter to obtain calcium carbonate as
residue and sodium chloride solution as filtrate, wash
the residue with distilled water and dry it between
filter papers, evaporate the filtrate to saturation cool to
obtain crystals of sodium chloride.
TO SEPARATE A MIXTURE CONTAINING
SUBSTANCE THAT SUBLIMES

To answer a question on separation involving a salt

that sublimes. Always start your answer in heating
the mixture in a container covered with evaporating
dish with cold water, where the substance that
sublimes will be collected on the evaporating dish.
Substances that sublime include FeCl3, AlCl3, ,
iodine ,dry ice, benzoic acid
To separate a mixture containing
Substance that sublimes
Q2
Given a mixture of lead (II) oxide, iodine and sodium chloride, describe
how this mixture can be separated to obtain a sample of each.

Heat the mixture in a container covered with

evaporating dish with cold water iodine sublimes
and is collected on the evaporating dish. Add
water to the remaining mixture, stir and filter.
Lead (II) Oxide remains as residue. Heat filtrate
to saturation and cool to crystalize, to obtain
sodium chloride crystals ..
Q3
Starting with solid Aluminium sulphate, describe
how a solid sample of Aluminium hydroxide could
be prepared. (3 marks)
Dissolve aluminium sulphate in distilled water.
Add aqueous ammonia to aluminium sulphate
solution to precipitate aluminium hydroxide. Filter
and wash the residue with distilled water. Dry it
between filter papers
Q4
Describe how you can obtain lead metal from
lead(II) carbonate
Heat the PbCO3 strongly in a crucible to decompose to PbO, pass
hydrogen gas/CO over the hot PbO to reduce it to lead metal
Q5
You are provided with the following: Solid lead (II)
nitrate, magnesium oxide powder, dilute sulphuric
(VI) acid and distilled water. Describe how you can
prepare a dry sample of lead (II) sulphate.

Dissolve lead (II) nitrate crystals in distilled water.

Add excess magnesium oxide powder to dilute
sulphuric (VI) acid in a beaker and filter. Mix the
two solutions obtained. Filter and wash the residue
with distilled water and it between filter papers.
REVERSED SALT PREPARATION. Is such questions you might be
required to describe how to obtain a metal oxide or a metal from a
salt solution , you can heat the salt solution to dryness, then heat
the dry salt to decompose to metal oxide, you can also add a
soluble carbonate then heat the carbonate strongly . To obtain the
metal oxide ,to obtain a metal then you can reduce the oxide( while
hot) with carbon (II) oxide metal to obtain metal.
Q6
Starting with Zinc sulphate solution ,describe how a sample of
zinc oxide can be Obtained from a solution of Zinc (II)
Sulphate
Add soluble Sodium carbonate /add NaOH
Filter out the Zinc carbonate /filter the Zn(OH)2 / heat strongly the
Zn(OH)2/ZnCO3 to decompose it to form ZnO
Or heat to evaporate the water to obtain ZnSO4 solid
Heat ZnSO4 solid strongly to decompose to form ZnO
Q7
Describe how percentage of copper in copper (II) carbonate can be
determined.(3mk)
 
Weigh copper (II) carbonate accurately, Heat the CuCO3 to
constant mass to obtain CuO
Reduce CuO using H2 /CO to obtain copper metal, Allow it to
cool and weigh the mass of Cu
% of Copper= X 100
 ASSIGNMENT
1.Starting with magnesium metal describe how you can
prepare a solid sample of magnesium hydroxide
2. Draw a set up that can be used to prepare Aluminium
chloride by direct synthesis. (3 marks)
3. Describe how you can obtain magnesium oxide from
magnesium sulphate solution. (3 marks)