1.

MV & RV [OK]
Mv - different types of halides
Rv - the observations / reactions

2. Discussion on all 5 parts

Part A & Part B [OK]
The origin of halogen is the Greek word meaning the production of salt by direct reaction
with a metal (Taro, 2004)
http://www.t.soka.ac.jp/chem/iwanami/inorg/INO_0001.PDF
The halogens are the elements in Group 7 of the periodic table. Chlorine, bromine and
iodine are halogens.
Halide ions in solutions are detected using silver nitrate solutions.
The colour of silver halide precipitates formed depends on the halide ions present.
chloride ions give a white precipitate of silver chloride
bromide ions give a cream precipitate of silver bromide
iodide ions give a yellow precipitate of silver iodide

However, silver halides solution have different observation when it is exposed to light or
keep in the dark.
Since the silver halides solution is a photo sensitive chemical, the exposure of light to
the chemical will cause the solution to undergoes photochemical decomposition.
The silver halide will then decompose to silver metallic and thus darken the solution.
Therefore, the silver halide solutions that exposed to light have a darker colour and
precipitate than silver halide solutions that keep in the dark.

Part C [OK]
It is important to note that before this test is carried out the solution must be acidified so
as to remove any carbonate ions or hydroxide ions that may be present in the solution as
impurities.
If they were allowed to remain these impurities would also form precipitates on reaction
with silver nitrate, and so confuse the test.

The purpose off adding nitric acid is to remove interfering ions particularly carbonates.
The test for halides is done by adding a solution of AgNO3.
For example, when potassium chloride is added with silver nitrate ,it is obvious that a
presence of white precipitate indicates the present of chloride ion
Cl-(aq) + AgNO3(aq) AgCl(s) + NO3-(aq)

But if the solution contains carbonate ,the following occurs:

CO3 2-(aq) + 2AgNO3(aq) Ag2CO3(s) + 2NO3 - (aq)
 This will also form a white precipitate but this is then a false positive for chlorides

To avoid this, the sample solution is first acidified with HNO3

CO3 2- (aq) + 2HNO3 (aq) CO2(g) + H2O(l) + NO3-(aq)
The CO3 2- ion has been removed as an interfering anion , and any precipitate can be
taken as confirming the presence of Cl- ion in solution.

Part D [OK]
Ammonia has a lone pair of electrons on the N atom (:NH 3) which can make dative
covalent bonds with anything that has an empty orbital. The silver ion has several empty
orbitals and it is possible for two NH 3 molecules to form bonds with it, making a complex
ion:-

[H3N: Ag+ :NH3]

This complex is called the diamminesilver (I) ion and is usually written as [Ag(NH 3)2]+.
It is soluble in water. The equations for the reaction ammonia with silver chloride and
silver bromide are given below:-
AgCl (s) + 2NH3 (aq) [Ag(NH3)2]+ (aq) + Cl (aq)
AgBr (s) + 2NH3 (aq) [Ag(NH3)2]+ (aq) + Br (aq)
Silver chloride precipitate dissolves readily in dilute ammonia to form a colourless
solution while silver bromide precipitate slightly soluble in excess ammonia solution to
form a colourless solution.
Silver iodide is insoluble and form a white solution because the ammonia molecules
cannot replace the iodide ions

Part E
When conc sulphuric acid is added into KCl, white steamy fumes of HCl
are evolved as the acid base reaction take placed.
Chlorides: * NaCl(s) + H2SO4 (l) NaHSO4 (s) + HCl(g)
The F- and Cl ion are not strong enough reducing agents to reduce the S
in H2SO4 . No redox reactions occur

When conc sulphuric acid is added into KBr,white steamy fumes of HBr
contiminated with brown bromine vapour are evolved.
Bromides with conc H2SO4: NaBr(s) + H2SO4 (l) NaHSO4 (s) + HBr(g) acid
-base 2HBr(g) + H2SO4 (l) Br2 (g) + SO2 (g) + 2H2O(l) redox

When iodides react with conc H2SO4, some steamy fumes of HI are evolved
but lots of purple iodine vapour are accumulated in the tube.
Observations: White steamy fumes of HI are evolved. Black solid and
purple fumes of Iodine are also evolved A colourless, acidic gas SO2 A
yellow solid of Sulphur H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide), a gas with a bad egg
smell, I - ions are the strongest halide reducing agents. They can
reduce the Sulphur in H2SO4 from +6 to + 4 in SO2 , to 0 in S and -2 in
H2S.

3. Chemical test to distinguish

(A) Cl- & Br- (+ AgNO3) [OK]
In order to distinguish Cl- and Br-, AgNO3 is added into KCl and KBr.
In the solution containing KCl and AgNO3, a white solution with a white precipitate is
formed.
This shows the present of Cl- ion.
The equation for this is reaction is Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) ---> AgCl(s)
In the other solution containing KBr and AgNO3, a cream-coloured solution with cream
precipitate is formed
Although the compound can be found in mineral form, AgBr is typically prepared by the
reaction of silver nitrate with an alkali bromide, typically potassium bromide:[2]
Greenwood, N.N., Earnshaw, A. (1984). Chemistry of the Elements. New York: Permagon
Press. pp. 118587. ISBN 0-08-022057-6.

This shows the present of Br- ion.

The equation for this reaction is Ag+(aq)+Br-(aq)--->AgBr(s)

(B) Br- & I- +Ammonia) [OK]

In the other hand, in other to distinguish Br- and I- , ammonia solution is added into KBr
and KI.
In AgBr, precipitate is almost unchanged using dilute ammonia solution, but dissolves in
concentrated ammonia solution to give a colourless solution.
However, dilute ammonia solution is added into excess to completely dissociate the AgBr
precipitate to form a colourless solution.
The equation is ( )
AgI Precipitate is insoluble in ammonia solution of any concentration.
Therefore, a white solution is formed.
The equation is ( )

4. Suggest a reason for the darkening effect of light on AgCl & AgBr precipitate
[OK]
A decomposition reaction is a chemical reaction in which some chemical bonds in a
compound are broken and simpler substances are formed.
The breaking of chemical bonds requires the addition of energy.
Photochemical decomposition is a chemical reaction initiated by the absorption of energy
in the form of light.
In this reaction, substance is broken down into simple substances by exposure to the light
which is also the photons.
Since light is a form of energy, it provides the necessary activation energy for the reaction
to take place.
Silver chloride and silver bromide is a photo sensitive chemical
The darkening effect of light on the silver chloride and silver bromide precipitates is
because the light converts some of the silver halide to small particles of metallic silver,
which darkens the precipitates.
( AgCl ) & ( AgBr )

For example, eye-glasses that darken in the sunlight contain small amounts of white,
finely dispersed silver chloride, AgCl. Exposure to sunlight converts some of the Ag+
ions to metallic silver, which is dark. The reaction is reversible: in a dark room, AgCl is
reformed and the glass becomes clear again.

5. Precaution steps
It is important to note that before this test is carried out the solution must be acidified so
as to remove any carbonate ions or hydroxide ions that may be present in the solution as
impurities. If they were allowed to remain these impurities would also form precipitates
on reaction with silver nitrate, and so confuse the test.

The solubility of the silver halides in ammonia decreases in the order:

AgF > AgCl > AgBr > AgI