6c. MAKING an INSOLUBLE SALT BY A PRECIPITATION REACTION
Sub-index
for this page on making salts using a precipitate method
Introduction and solubilities of salts
The method
of making a salt by precipitation
The
preparation of silver chloride
The
preparation of lead(II) iodide
The
preparation of calcium carbonate
The
preparation of barium sulfate
The
preparation of lead(II) sulfate
The
preparation of calcium sulfate
The uses of some
insoluble salts
Method (a)
Making a salt by neutralising a soluble acid with a soluble base (alkali) –
neutralisation reaction
Method (b)
preparing a salt by reacting an acid with a metal or an
insoluble base – oxide, hydroxide or carbonate
Method (c) Preparing an
insoluble salt by mixing solutions of two soluble compounds (this page)
Method (d) Making a
salt by directly combining its constituent elements
Index of all GCSE level (~US grades 8-10) notes on acids, bases
and salts
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alkalis salts preparations reactions
6. METHODS of MAKING SALTS – salt
preparation procedures
6c.
Method (c) Preparing insoluble salts
by a precipitation reaction
The procedure involves making an insoluble
salt my mixing solutions of soluble compounds to form a precipitate.
The two
soluble compounds must each provide one of the constituent ions of the desired
insoluble salt which precipitates out when the solutions are mixed.
NOTE definition: A precipitation reaction is generally defined as 'the formation of an
insoluble solid on mixing two solutions of soluble substances or bubbling a gas into a solution'.
Note that several
precipitation reactions are used as
simple tests
for e.g. for sulfate, chloride, bromide, iodide
Salt solubility affects the method you
choose to make a salt, the table below will help you decide on the method
A solubility guide
for salts and other compounds
Information required to decide on the method used to
prepare a salt |
salts and other compounds |
solubility? |
common salts of sodium, potassium and
ammonium ions |
usually soluble in water |
common sulfates (sulfates) |
usually quite soluble except for
calcium sulfate (slightly soluble), lead sulfate and barium
sulfate are both insoluble |
common chlorides (similar rule for
bromides and iodides) |
usually soluble except for insoluble
lead(II) chloride and silver chloride |
common nitrates |
all soluble |
common carbonates |
most metal carbonates are insoluble
apart from sodium & potassium carbonate. Ammonium carbonate is
also soluble. |
common hydroxides |
most metal hydroxides are insoluble apart from
sodium, potassium and ammonium hydroxide |
General rules
which describe the solubility of common types of compounds in water:
-
All common sodium,
potassium and ammonium salts are soluble e.g. NaCl, K2SO4,
NH4NO3
-
All nitrate salts are
soluble e.g. NaNO3, Mg(NO3)2, Al(NO3)3,
NH4NO3
-
Some ethanoate salts are
soluble e.g. CH3COONa
-
Common chloride salts are
soluble except those of silver and lead e.g.
-
Common sulfates are
soluble except those of lead, barium and calcium: soluble e.g.
-
soluble: Na2SO4,
MgSO4, Al2(SO4)3
-
insoluble: PbSO4,
BaSO4, CaSO4
is slightly soluble.
-
Common oxides, hydroxides
and carbonates are usually insoluble (e.g. Group 2 and Transition
Metals) except those of the Group 1 Alkali Metals sodium, potassium
etc. and ammonium:
-
soluble bases–alkalis
oxides, hydroxides or carbonates: K2O, KOH, NaOH, NH3(aq), Na2CO3, (NH4)2CO3
-
insoluble bases –
basic oxides, hydroxides or insoluble carbonates: MgO, CuO, ZnO,
Mg(OH)2, Fe(OH)2, Cu(OH)2, CuCO3,
ZnCO3, CaCO3
THE METHOD
How to make an insoluble salt from
two soluble compounds (which may be a soluble salt or acid)
MAKING AN INSOLUBLE
SALT - by mixing solutions of two soluble substances
These reactions are sometimes described as a
DOUBLE DECOMPOSITION reaction
- the term is explained in examples.
-
How can we make an insoluble
salt? How do we prepare an insoluble salt from two soluble compounds?
-
This section describes the
preparation of insoluble salts like silver chloride AgCl, lead(II) chloride
(lead chloride) PbCl2, lead(II) iodide
(lead iodide) PbI2, calcium carbonate CaCO3,
barium sulfate (barium sulfate)
BaSO4,
lead(II) sulfate (lead sulfate, lead sulfate)PbSO4,
and 'slightly soluble' calcium sulfate (calcium sulfate) CaSO4,
which can all be made by a precipitation
reaction.
-
Many of the salt precipitate are WHITE, but
lead iodide is pale yellow.

Examples ...
- but it can be any soluble chloride
salt solution or even dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl). Silver nitrate is one
of the few common soluble salts of silver.
-
The silver nitrate provides the
silver ion and the sodium chloride provides the chloride ion to prepare
the insoluble salt silver chloride which forms as a
white precipitate.
-
silver nitrate + sodium chloride ==>
silver chloride + sodium nitrate
-
AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq)
==> AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq)
-
In terms of
ions it could be written as
-
Ag+NO3–(aq)
+ Na+Cl–(aq) ==>
AgCl(s) +
Na+NO3–(aq)
-
or:
Ag+(aq)
+ NO3–(aq)
+ Na+(aq)
+ Cl–(aq) ==>
AgCl(s) +
Na+(aq)
+ NO3–(aq)
-
but the
spectator
ions are
nitrate NO3– and
sodium Na+
which do not change at all,
-
The 'active
ions' and resulting precipitate are highlighted in yellow.
-
Describing this as a double
decomposition reaction:
-
In the reaction, the ions swap who they are
combined with in terms of the two ions precipitated as the salt (silver Ag+
and chloride Cl-) and the two ions left in solution (sodium Na+
and nitrate NO3-) - the silver ion is no longer with
the nitrate ion and the hydrogen ion is no longer with the chloride ion.
-
so the proper
ionic
equation is simply:
Ag+(aq)
+ Cl–(aq) ==> AgCl(s)
-
Note (i) the use of state symbols (aq) and (s) AND
-
(ii) that ionic
equations omit ions that do not change there chemical or physical
state.
-
In this case the
nitrate,
NO3–(aq) and sodium
Na+(aq)
ions do not change physically or chemically and are called
spectator ions,
-
BUT the aqueous silver
ion, Ag+(aq), combines with the aqueous
chloride ion, Cl–(aq), to form the insoluble
salt silver chloride, AgCl(s), thereby changing their
states both chemically and physically.
-
More Ionic equations explained with
all spectator ions
indicated
-
You can just use dilute hydrochloric
acid and silver nitrate solution to make insoluble silver chloride by
precipitation.
-
The silver nitrate provides the
silver ion and the hydrochloric acid provides the chloride ion to
prepare the insoluble salt silver chloride which forms as a white
precipitate.
-
silver nitrate + hydrochloric acid ==>
silver chloride + nitric acid
-
AgNO3(aq) + HCl(aq)
==> AgCl(s) +
HNO3(aq)
-
Describing this as a double
decomposition reaction:
-
In the reaction, the ions swap who they are
combined with in terms of the two ions precipitated as the salt (silver Ag+
and chloride Cl-) and the two ions left in solution (hydrogen H+
and nitrate NO3-) - the silver ion is no longer with
the nitrate ion and the hydrogen ion is no longer with the chloride ion.
-
You can apply this idea of double
decomposition to all the reactions described below.
-
In terms of
ions the reaction can be written as
-
Ag+NO3–(aq)
+ H+Cl–(aq) ==>
AgCl(s) +
H+NO3–(aq)
-
or:
Ag+(aq)
+ NO3–(aq)
+ H+(aq)
+ Cl–(aq) ==>
AgCl(s) +
H+(aq)
+ NO3–(aq)
-
BUT, the
spectator
ions are
nitrate NO3– and
hydrogen H+
which do not change at all - they remain in solution,
-
so the proper
ionic
equation is simply:
Ag+(aq)
+ Cl–(aq) ==> AgCl(s)
-
If you use barium chloride
the word and symbol equations are ...
-
barium chloride + silver
nitrate ==> silver chloride + barium nitrate
-
BaCl2(aq)
+ 2AgNO3(aq)
==> 2AgCl(s) +
Ba(NO3)2(aq)
-
which can be written as
-
Ba2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) +
2Ag+(aq) +
2NO3–(aq)
==> 2AgCl(s)
+ Ba2+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
-
the spectator ions are
Ba2+ and
NO3–
-
so the ionic equation
is: Ag+(aq)
+ Cl–(aq) ==> AgCl(s)
-
You can make silver bromide by mixing
solutions of silver nitrate and potassium bromide.
-
The silver nitrate provides the
silver ion and the potassium bromide provides the bromide ion to prepare
the insoluble salt silver bromide which forms as a cream precipitate.
-
silver nitrate + potassium bromide ==>
silver bromide + potassium nitrate
-
AgNO3(aq) + KBr(aq)
==> AgBr(s) +
KNO3(aq)
-
the
spectator
ions are
nitrate NO3– and
potassium K+
which do not change at all,
-
so the proper
ionic
equation is simply: Ag+(aq)
+ Br–(aq) ==> AgBr(s)
-
Similarly you can make silver iodide
by mixing solutions of silver nitrate and potassium iodide.
-
The silver nitrate provides the
silver ion and the potassium iodide provides the iodide ion to prepare
the insoluble salt silver iodide which forms as a pale yellow
precipitate.
-
silver nitrate + potassium iodide ==>
silver iodide + potassium nitrate
-
AgNO3(aq) + KI(aq)
==> AgI(s) +
KNO3(aq)
-
the
spectator
ions are
nitrate NO3– and
potassium K+
which do not change at all,
-
so the proper
ionic
equation is simply: Ag+(aq)
+ I–(aq) ==> AgI(s)
-
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for page
-
(ii)
Lead(II) iodide,
a yellow precipitate (insoluble in water!) can be made by mixing lead(II)
nitrate solution with e.g. potassium iodide solution
- but it can be any soluble iodide salt solution mixed with lead nitrate -
one of the few common soluble salts of lead.

-
The lead nitrate supplies the
lead ion and the potassium iodide the iodide ion to make the insoluble
salt lead iodide, which is a yellow crystalline solid.-
lead(II) nitrate + potassium
iodide ==> lead(II) iodide + potassium nitrate
-
Pb(NO3)2(aq)
+ 2KI(aq)
==> PbI2(s) + 2KNO3(aq)
-
which can be written as
-
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
+ 2K+(aq)
+ 2I–(aq) ==>
PbI2(s) + 2K+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
-
the ionic equation is:
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2I–(aq) ==> PbI2(s)
-
because the spectator ions
are
nitrate NO3–
and
potassium K+.
-
In a similar way you can
make lead(II) chloride by e.g. using dilute hydrochloric acid
-
The hydrochloric acid supplies
the chloride ion.
-
lead(II) nitrate +
hydrochloric acid ==> lead(II) chloride + nitric acid
-
Pb(NO3)2(aq)
+ 2HCl(aq)
==> PbCl2(s) + 2HNO3(aq)
-
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
+ 2H+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) ==>
PbCl2(s)
+ 2H+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
-
the proper ionic equation is:
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) ==> PbCl2(s)
-
because the spectator
ions are nitrate NO3–
and
hydrogen H+.
-
Similarly you can
make lead(II) chloride by e.g. using dilute
sodium chloride solution
-
The silver nitrate provides the
silver ion and the sodium chloride provides the chloride ion to
prepare the insoluble salt lead chloride which forms as a white
precipitate.
-
lead(II) nitrate +
sodium chloride ==> lead(II) chloride + sodium nitrate
-
Pb(NO3)2(aq)
+ 2NaCl(aq)
==> PbCl2(s) + 2NaNO3(aq)
-
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) ==>
PbCl2(s)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
-
the proper ionic equation is:
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) ==> PbCl2(s)
-
because the spectator
ions are nitrate NO3–
and
sodium Na+.
-
You can make
lead(II)
bromide by e.g. using sodium bromide solution
-
lead(II) nitrate +
sodium bromide ==> lead(II) bromide + sodium nitrate
-
Pb(NO3)2(aq)
+ 2NaBr(aq)
==> PbBr2(s) + 2NaNO3(aq)
-
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+ 2Br–(aq) ==> PbBr2(s)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
-
the proper ionic equation is:
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2Br–(aq) ==> PbBr2(s)
-
because the spectator
ions are
nitrate NO3–
and
sodium Na+.
-
The silver nitrate provides the
silver ion and the sodium bromide provides the bromide ion to
prepare the insoluble salt silver bromide which forms as a cream
precipitate.
-
You can also use potassium
bromide, just swap the Na for a K.
and you can make lead(II)
chloride by e.g. using sodium chloride solution
-
lead(II) nitrate +
sodium chloride ==> lead(II) chloride + sodium nitrate
-
Pb(NO3)2(aq)
+ 2NaCl(aq)
==> PbCl2(s) + 2NaNO3(aq)
-
Pb2+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) ==>
PbCl2(s)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+ 2NO3–(aq)
the proper ionic equation
is: Pb2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq) ==> PbCl2(s)
because the spectator
ions are nitrate NO3–
and sodium Na+.
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for page
-
(iii)
Calcium carbonate, a white
precipitate, forms on e.g. mixing calcium chloride solution and sodium carbonate
solutions - but it can be any soluble calcium
salt solution mixed with a solution of any soluble carbonate.

-
calcium chloride + sodium
carbonate ==> calcium carbonate + sodium chloride
-
CaCl2(aq)
+
Na2CO3(aq)
==> CaCO3(s) + 2NaCl(aq)
-
Ca2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq)
+ 2Na+(aq)
+
CO32–(aq)
==> CaCO3(s) + 2Na+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq)
-
the ionic equation is:
Ca2+(aq)
+ CO32–(aq) ==> CaCO3(s)
-
because the spectator ions
are
chloride Cl– and
sodium Na+.
-
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for page
-
(iv)
Barium sulfate
(barium sulphate), a white
precipitate, forms on mixing e.g. barium chloride solution and dilute sulfuric acid
- but it can be any soluble barium salt solution mixed with a solution of
any soluble sulfate salt solution.

-
barium chloride + sulfuric
acid ==> barium sulfate + hydrochloric acid
-
BaCl2(aq)
+
H2SO4(aq)
==> BaSO4(s) + 2HCl(aq)
-
Ba2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq)
+ 2H+(aq)
+
SO42–(aq)
==> BaSO4(s) + 2H+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq)
-
so the ionic equation is:
Ba2+(aq)
+ SO42–(aq) ==> BaSO4(s)
-
because the spectator ions
are
chloride Cl–
and
hydrogen H+.
-
Or you can use sulfate
salts like sodium sulfate, so the word and symbol equations are ..
-
barium chloride + sodium
sulfate ==> barium sulfate + sodium chloride
-
BaCl2(aq)
+ Na2SO4(aq)
==> BaSO4(s) + 2NaCl(aq)
-
The ionic equation is
the same:
Ba2+(aq)
+ SO42–(aq) ==> BaSO4(s)
-
because the spectator
ions are
sodium Na+
and
chloride Cl–
-
You can do exactly the
same preparation using potassium sulfate and barium nitrate or
barium chloride, basically any solutions of a soluble barium salt
and a soluble sulfate salt can be used to prepare barium sulfate.
-
e.g.
barium nitrate + potassium sulfate ==> barium sulfate +
potassium nitrate
-
or
barium chloride + potassium sulfate ==> barium sulfate +
potassium chloride
-
See at the end of the
page the uses of barium sulfate.
-
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for page
-
(v)
Lead(II) sulfate
(lead sulfate), a white
precipitate, forms in a similar way e.g.
mixing lead(II) nitrate solution with sodium sulfate solution - but it
can be any soluble lead salt mixed with a solution of any soluble sulfate
salt or dilute sulfuric acid solution.

-
lead(II) nitrate + sodium
sulfate ==> lead(II) sulfate + sodium nitrate
-
Pb(NO3)2
(aq) + Na2SO4(aq) ==>
PbSO4(s) + 2NaNO3
(aq)
-
ionic equation:
Pb2+(aq)
+ SO42–(aq) ==> PbSO4(s)
-
because the spectator ions
are
sodium Na+
and
nitrate NO3–
-
Lead(II) sulfate can also be
precipitated using dilute sulfuric acid.
-
lead(II) nitrate + sodium
sulfate ==> lead(II) sulfate + nitric acid
-
Pb(NO3)2
(aq) + H2SO4(aq) ==>
PbSO4(s) + 2HNO3
(aq)
-
ionic equation:
Pb2+(aq)
+ SO42–(aq) ==> PbSO4(s)
-
because the spectator ions
are hydrogen H+
and
nitrate NO3–
ions
-
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for page
-
-
(vi)
Calcium sulfate
(calcium sulfate), a white
precipitate, forms on mixing e.g. calcium chloride solution and dilute sulfuric acid
- but it can be any soluble calcium salt solution mixed with a solution of
any soluble sulfate salt.

-
calcium chloride + sulfuric
acid ==> calcium sulfate + hydrochloric acid
-
CaCl2(aq)
+
H2SO4(aq)
==> CaSO4(s) + 2HCl(aq)
-
Ca2+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq)
+ 2H+(aq)
+
SO42–(aq)
==> CaSO4(s) + 2H+(aq)
+ 2Cl–(aq)
-
so the ionic equation is:
Ca2+(aq)
+ SO42–(aq) ==> CaSO4(s)
-
because the spectator ions
are
chloride Cl–
and
hydrogen H+.
-
Or you can use sulfate
salts like sodium sulfate, so the word and symbol equations are ..
-
calcium chloride + sodium
sulfate ==> calcium sulfate + sodium chloride
-
CaCl2(aq)
+ Na2SO4(aq)
==> CaSO4(s) + 2NaCl(aq)
-
The ionic equation is
the same:
Ca2+(aq)
+ SO42–(aq) ==> CaSO4(s)
-
because the spectator
ions are
sodium Na+
and
chloride Cl–
-
You can do exactly the
same preparation using potassium sulfate and calcium nitrate or
calcium chloride, basically any solutions of a soluble calcium salt
and a soluble sulfate salt can be used to prepare and precipitate calcium sulfate.
-
See at the end of the
page the uses of barium sulfate.
(their preparation has been described above)
(calcium sulfate) is used in plaster of Paris and plaster for
domestic wall covering.
Barium sulfate BaSO4
(barium sulfate)
-
Barium sulfates quite a dense
material is used in with X-rays for particular medical examinations.
-
Barium sulfate, like all barium
salts is toxic, BUT, because it is insoluble, non of it is absorbed by the
body into the bloodstream and eventually it will pass right through the gut
system and be expelled in the normal faeces.
-
X-rays are used to investigate
bone structure e.g. fractured or broken bones and the technique works
because bone material is too dense to let weak X-rays through, so on
shooting an X-ray photograph you get the bone structure as a sort of shadow
effect where the X-rays have been absorbed by the bone.
-
Therefore, normally you can't
use X-rays to examine soft tissue areas like the gut.
-
However, if the patient takes a
'barium meal', a thick harmless fluid containing a suspension of the
insoluble barium sulfate, this can pass through the stomach and into the
gut.
-
Therefore it is then possible to
X-ray the intestinal gut system because the barium sulfate absorbs the
X-rays just like bone.
-
So, because barium sulfate is
opaque to X-rays, the X-ray photograph via the barium meal will highlight
the structure of the tissue lining of the gut and show up any structural
abnormalities and blockages.
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GCSE/IGCSE Acids & Alkalis revision notes sub–index:
Index of all pH, Acids, Alkalis, Salts Notes 1.
Examples of everyday acids, alkalis, salts, pH of
solution, hazard warning signs : 2.
pH scale, indicators, ionic theory of acids–alkali neutralisation : 4.
Reactions of acids with
metals/oxides/hydroxides/carbonates, neutralisation reactions : 5.
Reactions of bases–alkalis
like ammonia & sodium hydroxide : 6. Four methods
of making salts : 7. Changes in pH in a
neutralisation, choice and use of indicators : 8. Important formulae
of compounds, salt solubility and water of crystallisation :
10.
More on Acid–Base Theory and Weak and Strong Acids
See also
Advanced Level Chemistry Students Acid–Base Revision
Notes – use index
GCSE/IGCSE foundation–easier multiple choice quiz on pH, Indicators, Acids,
Bases, Neutralisation and Salts
GCSE/IGCSE higher–harder multiple choice quiz on pH, Indicators, Acids,
Bases, Neutralisation and Salts
GCSE/IGCSE Structured question worksheet on Acid
Reaction word equations and
symbol
equation questions
Word
equation answers and
symbol
equation answers)
GCSE/IGCSE word–fill worksheet on Acids,
Bases, Neutralisation and Salts
GCSE/IGCSE
matching pair quiz on Acids, Bases, Salts and pH
See also
Advanced Level Chemistry Students Acid–Base Revision
Notes – use index
|