Chemistry Viva Questions

Practical Mark Distribution

Topic Marks Distribution

Experiment 1 (on Volumetric
8
Analysis)
Experiment 2 (on Salt Analysis) 8
Experiment 3 (Based on Content) 6
Investigatory Project 4
Class Record and Viva-Voce 4
Total Marks 30

Volumetric Analysis

Why a titration flask should not be rinsed ?

Answer. This is because during rinsing-some liquid will remain sticking to the
titration flask therefore the pipetted volume taken in the titration flask will increase.
Question.19. What are primary and secondary standard substances?
Answer. A substance is known as primary standard if it is available in high degree of
purity, if it is stable and unaffected by air, if it does not gain or lose moisture in air, if
it is readily soluble and its solution in water remains as such for long time.
On the other hand, a substance which does not possess the above characteristics is
called a secondary standard substance. Primary standards are crystalline oxalic add,
anhydrous Na CO , Mohr’s salt, etc.
2 3

Question.20. Burette and pipette must be rinsed with the solution with which
they are filled, why ?
Answer. The burette and pipette are rinsed with the solution with which they are
filled in order to remove any water sticking to their sides, which otherwise would
decrease the cone, of the solutions to be taken in them.
Question.21. It is customary to read lower meniscus in case of colourless and
transparent solutions and upper meniscus in case of highly coloured
solutions, why ?
Answer. Because it is easy to read the lower meniscus in case of colourless
solutions, while the upper meniscus in case of coloured solutions. In case of
coloured solutions lower meniscus is not visible clearly.
Question.22. What is a molar solution ?
Answer. A molar solution is a solution, a litre of which contains one gm-mole of the
substance. This is symbolised as 1M.
Why the last drop of solution must not be blown out of a pipette?
Answer. Since the drops left in the jet end is extra of the volume measured by the
pipette.
Question.24. Pipette should never be held from its bulb, why ?
Answer. The body temperature may expand the glass and introduce an error in the
measurement volume.
What is the indicator used in KMnO titration ?
4

Answer. No indicator is used because KMnO acts as a self-indicator.

4

Question.29. Why does KMnO act itself as an indicator ?

4

Answer. In the presence of dilute sulphuric acid, KMnO reacts with reducing agent
4

(oxalic acid or . ferrous sulphate). When all the reducing agent has been oxidised,
the excess of KMnO is not decomposed and imparts pink colour to the solution.
4

Question.30. What is the end point in KMnO titrations ?

4

Answer. From colourless to permanent light pink.

Question.31. Why is Mohr’s salt preferred as a primary standard over ferrous
sulphate in volumetric
analysis ?
Answer. This is because of the fact that Mohr’s salt is stable and is not readily
oxidised by air. Ferrous sulphate gets oxidised to ferric sulphate.
Question.32. Why are a few drops of dilute sulphuric acid added while
preparing a standard solution
of Mohr’s salt ?
Answer. Few drops of H SO are added to prevent the hydrolysis of ferrous sulphate.
2 4

Question.33. Why a burette with rubber pinch cock should not be used in
KMnO titrations ?
4

Answer. Because KMnO attacks rubber.

4

Question.34. Sometimes a brown ppt. is observed in KMnO titrations. Why ?

4

Answer. It is due to insufficient quantity of dil. sulphuric acid. Brown coloured ppt.
(MnO .H 0) is formed due to the incomplete oxidation of KMnO .
2 2 4

Q.Why should you heat the oxalic acid solution to about 60-70°C before
titrating with KMnO solution ?
4

Answer. In cold, the reaction is very slow due to the slow formation of Mn ions.
2+

Oxalic acid is heated to speed up the liberation of Mn ions which then autocatalyses
2+

the reaction and thus the reaction proceeds rapidly. This also serves the purpose of
expelling the carbondioxide evolved during the reaction which otherwise does not
allow the reaction to go to completion.
Q.Why is H2SO4 used instead of HCl?

Ans: Sulphuric acid H2SO4 is a colourless (when pure) to dark brown, oily liquid.
Why H2SO4 is used instead of HCl? Sulfuric acid is used because it is stable
towards oxidation; whereas, for example, hydrochloric acid would be oxidized to
chlorine by permanganate.

Salt Analysis
Q.Explain the principle of Salt analysis.

Ans: Salt analysis (also known as systematic qualitative analysis or qualitative

inorganic analysis) involves the identification of the cation and anion of an
inorganic salt. This is done by conducting a series of tests in a systematic manner
and using the observations to confirm the absence or presence of specific cations
and anions.

Q.What is aqua regia?

Ans: Aqua regia is a mixture of conc. HCI and conc. HNO3 in ratio 3:1
Q. What is the flame test? Why is it given by group 5 cations only ?
Ans: The flame test is a test for detecting the presence of certain metals in
compounds by the colouration they give to a flame.The salt is mixed with
conc HCl the salt paste is then applied on a glass rod and then exposed to
flame .
It is given by group 5 cations only as Chlorides of group 5 are volatile in
nature .

Q.Name the acid radicals detected with dil. Sulphuric acid?

Ans: Sulphide ion (S ),Carbonate ion(CO ) ,

2-
3
2-

Sulphite ion(SO )and Nitrite (NO )

3
2-
2
-

Q. .Name the acid radicals detected with conc. Sulphuric acid?

Ans:Chloride (Cl-) ,Fluoride(F-) ,Bromide (Br -) ,Iodide (I-) ,Acetate

(CH3COO-) and Nitrate (NO ) 3
-

Q.Which are the independent group radicals why are the called so ?

Ans :Sulphate (SO42-) and Phosphate (P043-) are called the independent
group radicals because they do not respond to either dil or conc sulphuric
acid .

Analysis of which group cation gives white fumes in the confirmatory test?

Zero group cation NH4+.

Answer. Ammonia gas produced by the action of sodium hydroxide on ammonium
salts reacts with hydrochloric acid to produce ammonium chloride, which appears as
a dense white fume.

Q13. What is Nessler’s reagent?

Answer. Nessler’s reagent is a solution of mercury (II) iodide (HgI2) in potassium

iodide (KI) and potassium hydroxide (KOH).

As a confirmatory test for ammonium ion NH4+, Nessler’s reagent is used.

The presence of NH4+ ion is confirmed by the presence of brown or yellow

precipitate.

Q14. What is the name of the product formed by reacting NH4+ ions with
Nessler’s Reagent?

Answer. HgO. Hg(NH2)I basic mercure (II) amido-iodine. Iodide of Millon’s base is
its common name.

Q15 What is the observation for confirmatory tests for Group – I cation Pb 2+?

Answer. Add potassium iodide solution to one part of the solution in a test tube. If a
yellow precipitate forms and the ppt dissolves in boiling water and recrystallizes on
cooling. This will confirm the presence of Pb2+.

Q16. What is the group reagent of Group I?

Answer. Dilute HCl.

Q17. How can you confirm that the cation in the given salt is Cu 2+?

Answer. H2S gas will be made to pass through the solution which will precipitate the
radicals.

Dissolve the precipitate in nitric acid. If the formed precipitate dissolves in 50% nitric
acid, yielding a blue solution when an excess of NH4OH is added. This will confirm
the presence of Cu2+.

Q18. What is the group reagent of Group II?

Answer. This group consists of Pb2+ and Cu2+ in the IIA Group and As3+ in the IIB
Group. The group reagent is H2S gas in the presence of dil. HCl
Q19. What is the group reagent of Group III?

Answer. Group III cations are precipitated as hydroxides by adding ammonium

hydroxide in the presence of ammonium chloride. Thus, in the presence of NH4Cl,
the group reagent for this group is NH4OH.

Q20. What is the colour of the precipitate formed when ferric hydroxide is
dissolved in HCl?

Answer. The reddish-brown precipitate (ferric chloride- FeCl3) is formed when ferric
hydroxide is dissolved in HCl

Q21. What is the group reagent of Group IV?

Answer. CO2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ are the radicals found in this group. On passing
H2S gas through the salt’s ammonical solution, these are precipitated as sulphides.
Thus, the group’s reagent is H2S gas in the presence of NH4Cl and NH4OH.

Q22. How will you confirm the presence of Cobalt ion?

Answer. React the given salt with potassium nitrite in the presence of acetic acid. If
the precipitate formed is yellow it will confirm the presence of cobalt ions. The yellow
precipitate is of potassium cobalt nitrite.

Q23. How will you analyse for Group IV cations?

Answer. If group-III is not present, pass H2S gas through the group-III solution for a
few minutes. If a precipitate (white, black, or flesh-coloured) appears, it indicates the
presence of group-IV cations.

Why is NH4OH added before (NH44)2CO3 solution while precipitating group–V

cations?

Answer. In salt analysis, a sufficient amount of NH4Cl is added before adding

This is done to convert NH4HCO3, which is usually present in large quantities into
(NH4)2CO3.

Why are the group–V radicals tested in the order Ba2+, Sr2+ and Ca2+?

Answer. Ba2+ also gives Sr2+ and Ca2+ tests. Sr2+ also provides Ca2+ tests. Therefore,
before confirming Sr2+, we must demonstrate the absence of Ba2+, and before
confirming Ca2+, we must demonstrate the absence of both Ba2+ and Sr2+.
What do you understand by the term common ion effect?

Answer. The common ion effect describes the effect on equilibrium that occurs
when a common ion (an ion already present in the solution) is added to it. In general,
the common ion effect reduces a solute’s solubility. It can also have an effect on
buffering solutions, as adding more conjugate ions can cause the pH of the solution
to change.

Q. What is Common Ion effect?

Ans: The common ion effect is an effect that suppresses the ionization of an
electrolyte when another electrolyte (which contains an ion which is also present in
the first electrolyte, i.e. a common ion) is added.

Organic Compounds

Q.What is Tollen's reagent?

Ans: The Ammonical AgNO solution is called Tollen's reagent.

3

Q.What is Fehlings A solution ?

Ans: Fehling’s A is aqueous copper sulphate solution .

Q. What is Fehlings B solution ?

Ans: Fehling’s B is sodium potassium tartarate (Rochelle’s salt)solution .

Q.Out of aldehyde and ketone which will give Tollens/Fehlings test and

why ?
Ans :Aldehydes would give Tollens /Fehlings test as they contain an extra
H which can be removed and aldehyde can be oxidised .