A2 CHEMISTRY Practical Skills (F326): Help sheet - Evaluative Task Evaluative Tasks are COMPARATIVE TASKS

Inorganic preparations and electrode potentials

You could be asked to interpret results, suggest improvements, complete calculations, state observations, draw conclusions or justify predictions. Read the instructions thoroughly and think carefully about the questions being asked.

Inorganic preparations

Transition metals form ions in which the element can have variable oxidation numbers, e.g. O.Ns. +2, +3, +4 or +5. Element, X (III) oxide will have the formula X2O3 while X (V) oxide will have the formula X2O5. Thermal decomposition reactions can be used to prepare compounds, e.g. metal oxides can be prepared by the thermal decomposition of metal carbonates. Ensure you write a balanced symbol equation for a decomposition reaction if given the expected products. To confirm a thermal decomposition reaction is complete you must heat to constant mass. This means that the mass of the solid being heated does not change in two successive mass readings. This confirms that there is no more solid reactant left the mass that is recorded is that of the product (mass is lost as gases are lost). Remember the calculations to work out number of moles (from masses) and for concentrations. Take care: one mole of X2O3 will produce two moles of X2+ ions. During reactions with acids, H+ and the acid spectator ion will be present.

Electrode potentials

Remember: a more positive electrode potential will reverse the half-equation of the more negative electrode potential. Half-equations are written as reductions (gain of electrons). A half equation ... XO3- (aq) + 4H+ (aq) + e- XO2+ (aq) + 2H2O (l) is described as the XO3- / XO2+ half equation When justifying the products of a reaction state that A/B has a more positive electrode potential than C/D (and so A and D react to form B and C). Reasons why a reaction does not produce the expected products are non-standard conditions (including concentrations not at 1 mol dm-3) or that the rate of reaction may be too slow / activation energy too high. When constructing overall equations all electrons should cancel and waters or H+ that appear on both sides of the equation must be simplified. In order to calculate the standard cell potential between two half cells, standard conditions need to be observed, including solutions of the ions of 1 mol dm-3. Platinum electrodes are used if a metal is not used as an electrode and a salt bridge connects the two half-cells. When the cell is operating the cell potential will change as the concentration of the ions change.