Question

Give a chemical test to distinguish between the following pair of compounds

Sodium chloride solution and sodium nitrate solution

Answer 1

• Silver nitrate test is used to distinguish Sodium chloride solution and sodium nitrate solution.
• When sodium chloride react with silver nitrate a white precipitate of silver chloride is formed.
• $\mathrm{NaCl}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{AgNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to \underset{\mathrm{white}\mathrm{precipitate}}{\mathrm{AgCl}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+{\mathrm{NaNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$
• There is no reaction between sodium nitrate and silver chloride