Identification of Inorganic Solids

PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENT Perform tests to Identify an element present as a metal or nonmetal, or the ions present in an inorganic salt. 

The number of inorganic species you will study will be limited, but the methods of attack open to you will be essentially unlimited. This experiment will teach you to use simple reactions and tests, many of which are already familiar, and then to think about the results. No single experiment will identify a species, but the results should provide hints that will direct you toward possibilities which you can then confirm. This whole process is a good illustration of the scientific method. You will gain an appreciation of the physical and chemical properties characteristic of given materials, and you will become aware of the relationship of these properties to the nature of the materials, their structure, and their reactivity. 

Use the designated DATA pages in this experiment to keep careful notes of all observations. Leave space liberally so that you can add conclusions and explanations or balanced chemical equations before turning in your report. 

The possible elements, cations, and anions that you may study in this experiment are given in TABLE 42.1. Your instructor may delete some of these possibilities at his or her discretion. You will not be given a mixture of solids unless you are specifically told that by your instructor. 

Aluminum, A1 Bismuth, Bi Boron, B Cadmium, Cd Chromium, Cr Cobalt, Co Copper, Cu Iodine, I2 Iron, Fe Lead, Pb Magnesium, Mg Manganese, Mn Nickel, Ni Phosphorus, P silicon. Si Sulfur, S Tin, Sn Zinc, Zn 

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