Summary BTEC applied science/forensics unit 1 Chemistry: making salts

Making Salts
Acid + alkali -> salt + water

H2SO4
● Common acids are: ● Sulphuric acid -> sulphates
Sulphuric acid
○ Sulphuric acid ● Nitric acid -> nitrates
HCl ○ Vinegar ● Hydrochloric acid -> chlorides
Hydrochloric acid ○ Hydrochloric acid These are different salts formed by
○ Nitric acid different acids.
HNO3
Nitric acid




Type of compound Contains Gives

Metal hydroxides OH- water + salt

Metal oxides O2- water + salt

Metal carbonates CO33- water + salt + CO2

Naming salts
● First part comes from the first name of the alkali
● Last part comes from the acid
○ E.g sodium hydroxide + nitric acid -> sodium nitrate
● When the base is a metal instead of an alkali, hydrogen is also produced

There are four ways of producing salt:
a) acid + alkali -> salt + water
b) acid + metal -> salt + hydrogen
c) acid + metal oxide -> salt + water
d) acid + metal carbonate -> salt + water + carbon
dioxide