Aluminium
The Blast Furnace
Purification of Copper
Crude Oil
Electrolysis
Analysing Gases
Haber Process
Solubility of Salts
Steel
Test for Anions
Test for Cations
Titration

Other Section

Applied
Fundamental
Inorganic
Organic
Physical

Solubility of Salts

Which is Which?

Use the table below to help you identify which salts are soluble and which are not.

SolubleInsoluble
All Sodium, Potassium and ammonium
ChloridesExcept silver and lead, chlorides
All Ethanoates
SulphateExcept calcium, barium and lead sulphates
All Nitrates
Sodium, potassium and ammonium carbonates
and hydroxides		All other carbonates and hydroxides are insoluble

Preparation of Soluble Salts

To prepare soluble salts you must form crystals of them.

  • Firstly you must react the reactants to get the soluble salt, if not already done.
  • Then the solution is passed through filter paper into an evaporating dish to remove excess solid material.
  • Now leave the solution. The liquid should evaporate and crystals of the salt will form in the dish.

    • Preparing Insoluble Salts

    A precipitate is the name given to a solid salt that forms when an insoluble salt is produced from a reaction. For example, with barium chloride and magnesium sulphate...

    Barium Chloride + Magnesium Sulphate Barium Sulphate + Magnesium Chloride
    BaCl2 + MgSO4 BaSO4 + MgCl2

    You will see a white precipitate of barium sulphate ...

    a precipiate of barium sulphate above a solution of magnesium chloride solution

    To get a pure, dry sample of Barium Sulphate it must be...
    filtered,
    washed with distilled water,
    and then left to allow the excess water to evaporate.