Acids, Bases & Salts are very important chapter in GCE O Levels Chemistry (IB Chemistry and IP Chemistry).
In fact, there are considered heavy-weightage topics (in terms of marks as well as content) that are related to many other chemistry topics. Many students lost their interest in Chemistry as early as Sec 3 / Year 3 after their school gone through these topics – they complained that they don’t understand these topics, and no matter how well they memorise (YES! Chemistry is NOT about memorising, contrary to many beliefs), they just can’t seemed to score in it.
Starting today, i am going to share with you several questions from Up Your Chemistry Grades Now showing some of the misconceptions made by many students, year-after-year. By knowing such common errors, it allows you to be aware and avoid such mistakes at all cost. In fact, this is the one of the strategy that we used in our weekly coaching classes and topical mastery workshops.
Do you think the student’s answers are correct? Think about it before you click to see the full post that contains the Examiner’s Comments below.
Hope you find the information beneficial to scoring your A’s for upcoming GCE O Levels Chemistry Examinations (or other Chemistry-related examinations).
PS: Leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you. =)
Related Articles:
- O Level Chemistry – Secrets of Acids, Bases & Salts & Qualitative Analysis revealed!
- Intensive GCE O Level Pure Chemistry & IP Chemistry Sec 3 Topical Revision Crash Course Workshops
- O Level Chemistry: Acids, Bases & Salts
- O Level Chemistry: Mole Concepts / Mole Calculations
- Official Launch “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” on 7th Oct 08
Hi. i am a chemistry O level teacher and M.Sc organic chemistry.. i want to do effective teaching that i can develop the students intrest in chemistry.. kindly help for best methodology..
Okay thanks
yep I’m sec 3 now singapore
Hi Vivian Chua,
May i know which level are you right now? Are you studying in Singapore?
Alot of Chemistry Concepts are based closely on the syllabus content. For GCE O-Level Chemistry (and other equivalents), answer is YES, insoluble salts do not react with dilute acid solutions.
Hope the explanation helps.
Sean Chua
So all insoluble salts don’t react with acid?
Hi Vivian,
Thanks for your message. I am sure which level are you studying in right now but i reckon that you are not very strong in Solubility of Salts.
Silver chloride, AgCl is an insoluble salt. So it does not react with nitric acid.
On the other hand, sodium chloride, NaCl is soluble in water and may react with nitric acid to form sodium nitrate and hydrochloric acid.
NaCl(aq) + HNO3(aq) -> NaNO3(aq) + HCl(aq)
It is like ions exchange kind of reaction.
Hope you find the explanation clear and useful to your learning.
Sean Chua
Can I ask why does silver chloride not react with nitric acid to form silver nitrate and hydrochloric acid? while other salts like sodium chloride react with nitric acid to form sodium nitrate and hydrochloric acid? or am I wrong?
@Al Nasar Ahmed
We use a water wath because the solution needed to be evapourated might be flamable if heated by a burner so it is safer to use a water bath as the process is harmful
To prevent decomposition of the salt due to excessive heating
because water bath is to ensure an uniform and even heating can be carried out…get it?
Please tell me why we included waterbath in evaporation process.There’s no need.