Paper 6 Chemistry General Notes:

Collecting or preparing gases:

-you should think of the following properties before choosing
which method should be used to prepare a certain gas:
1. Is the gas less dense or more dense than air?
2. The solubility of the gas in water. (low-high)
If it is less dense than air, we use upward delivery:

A gas jar is
connected by a
tube to
the flask that
is giving off
the gas as shown
in the picture.
The gas that
is less dense than ai
r rises to the top of
the gas jar.
This method is used with:
hydrogen and ammonia

If it is denser than air, we use downward delivery:

A gas jar is connected by a tube to the flask that is giving off
the gas as shown in the picture below.
The gas that is more
dense than air falls to the
bottom of the gas jar. This
method is used with:
carbon dioxide, chlorine,
hydrogen chloride, sulfur
dioxide.

If a gas is not soluble (or only slightly soluble) in water it can be

collected over water.
A tube from the flask that is giving off the gas is placed under
water. A test tube full of water is placed upside down above
the end of the tube to collect the gas as shown in the picture
below.

As the gas bubbles into the test tube it displaces the water until
the test tube is filled with the collected gas. This method is used
with: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and chlorine.

Drying Agents:
A drying agent is a chemical used to remove water from any compound.
Examples:
-concentrated sulfuric acid is used to dry all gases except ammonia
-anhydrous calcium chloride is used for all gases except ammonia
-calcium oxide is used to dry ammonia and neutral gases

Tests for anions and cations:

Cations: positive ions

Metal Ion

Adding NaOH

Adding ammonia solution

Aluminium Al3+
Ammonium NH4+

White ppt NS
-

Calcium Ca2+
Chromium III Cr3+
Copper Cu2+

White ppt S
(with HEAT)
Ammonia produced
White ppt NS
Green ppt S
Blue ppt NS

Iron II Fe2+
Iron III Fe3+
Zinc Zn2+

Green ppt NS
Red-brown ppt NS
White S

Green ppt NS
Red brown ppt NS
White S

No ppt
Grey green ppt NS
Blue ppt S (dark blue
SOLUTION if dissolved)

Anions: negative ions

Anion
Carbonate CO32Chloride ClIodide IBromide BrNitrate NO3-

Sulfate SO42Sulfite SO32-

Tests for Gases:

Test
Add dilute acid

Test result
Effervescence
CO2 produced
Acidify with dilute
White ppt
Yellow ppt
nitric acid and then
add aq. Silver nitrate Cream ppt
Add aqueous
Ammonia produced
sodium hydroxide
and then aluminum
foil; warm carefully
Acidify then add aq White ppt
barium nitrate
Add dilute HCl acid, SO2 produced will
warm gently and test turn acidified aq
for presence of SO2 potassium
manganate (VII)
from purple to
colorless