Reactions of metal ions in aqueous solution

Chemistry A-level (7405)

This resource (v1.2) represents colours of solutions and products (Specification reference 3.2.6 Reactions of ions in aqueous solution).
Students are expected to describe:

Action of an
Action of an excess Action of
Metal Aqueous ion Action of NaOH excess of Action of NH3(aq)
of NH3(aq) Na2CO3(aq)
NaOH(aq)
Fe(H2O)4(OH)2(s)
Fe(H2O)4(OH)2(s)
[Fe(H2O)6]2+(aq) FeCO3(s)
Iron(II) green ppt goes No further change No further change
green ppt goes brown
green solution brown on standing in green ppt
on standing in air
air

[Cu(H2O)6]2+(aq) Cu(H2O)4(OH)2(s) Cu(H2O)4(OH)2(s) [Cu(H2O)2(NH3)4]2+(aq) CuCO3(s)

Copper(II) No further change
blue solution blue ppt blue ppt deep blue solution blue-green ppt

[Fe(H2O)6]3+(aq) Fe(H2O)3(OH)3(s)
Fe(H2O)3(OH)3(s) Fe(H2O)3(OH)3(s)
purple solution brown ppt
Iron(III) brown ppt No further change brown ppt No further change
may look yellow- (ppt may look
brown due to some (ppt may look (ppt may look orange- orange-brown)
[Fe(H2O)5(OH)]2+(aq) orange-brown) brown)
and CO2 gas evolved

Al(H2O)3(OH)3(s)
[Al(H2O)6]3+(aq) Al(H2O)3(OH)3(s) [Al(OH)4](aq) Al(H2O)3(OH)3(s)
Aluminium(III) No further change white ppt
colourless solution white ppt colourless solution white ppt
and CO2 gas evolved

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Section 3.2.5.2: Substitution reactions

There are some additional reactions that may be useful but where the colours are not required knowledge.

Action of an excess of
Metal Aqueous ion Action of NaOH Action of Na2CO3(aq) Action of HCl (aq)
NH3(aq)
[CuCl4]2(aq)
[Cu(H2O)6]2+(aq) Cu(H2O)4(OH)2(s) [Cu(H2O)2(NH3)4]2+(aq) CuCO3(s)
Copper(II) yellow solution (may look
blue solution blue ppt deep blue solution blue-green ppt
green)

[Co(H2O)6]2+(aq) Co(H2O)4(OH)2(s) [Co(NH3)6]2+(s) CoCO3(s) [CoCl4]2(aq)

Cobalt(II)
pink solution blue ppt pale brown solution purple ppt blue solution

Section 3.2.5.5: Variable oxidation states

Students are also expected to know the colours of the vanadium ions produced when a solution of ammonium vanadate(V) (NH4VO3) is reduced by
zinc metal under acidic conditions.

Oxidation state V(V) V(IV) V(III) V(II)

Species in acidic solution [VO2(H2O)4]+ [VO(H2O)5]2+ [V(H2O)6]3+ [V(H2O)6]2+

Colour of solution yellow blue green purple

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