In: Chemistry
You are given a solution and asked to analyze it for the cations Ag+, Ca2+, and Zn2+. You add HCl and a white precipitate forms. You filter out the solid and add H2SO4, and nothing appears to happen. You then add hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and a black precipitate forms. Which ions should you report as being present in your solution?
Adding HCl adds chloride to the solution. According to the solubility rules, AgCl is insoluble; CaCl2 and ZnCl2 are both soluble. Since a precipitate formed, Ag+ was present.
The precipitate was filtered out, so the silver ion has been removed from the solution. Ca2+ and Zn2+ may still be present in the solution. Sulfuric acid was then added to the solution, which adds sulfate to the solution. CaSO4 is insoluble; ZnSO4 is soluble. Since nothing appears to happen, Ca2+ was not present.
The calcium sulfate precipitate was filtered out, so now both the Ag+ and Ca2+ have been removed. The solution may still contain Zn2+. Hydrogen sulfide is added to the solution. ZnS is insoluble, a black precipitate forms, indicating that Zn2+ was present.