Identifying unknown compounds is important in many ways in the big world. People like forensic scientists have to to identify chemicals on a daily basis.

So one day you pick up a compound in your science class and say “Wonder what it is?”

Well here’s just a few steps you can take to determine what is it.

1. Flame test

This is a simple test to eliminate a large proportion of possible compounds.Putting some of your compound on a stick and burning it on a Bunsen burner. Some compounds will change colour others won’t.

Some examples are

Lithium – red

Sodium – yellow

Potassium – light purple

2. Acid and Base test

A simple pH test to eliminate further possibilities. You can either use universal indicator or simply use litmus paper to test for pH.

0-6 = acidic

8-14 = base

3. Solubility Test

Simply put some of your compound into a beaker and add distilled water. Most ionic compounds are soluble while most covalent compounds are not soluble in solution.

4. Conductivity test

There are two ways to do this

1. PAS CO Meter
2. Zinc and Copper

Placing these into the solution mixed to test solubility you can determine if it conducts electricity.

Most ionic compounds do not conduct electricity while covalent compounds conduct electricity.

5.Precipitation Test

This test will take forever to explain but it is just testing the compound if it precipitates with another compound. refer to precipitation reactions rules

I haven’t gone too in-depth because it would take forever but you may look up your results to match tables which are provided on-line.

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