An environmental chemist is testing a sample of wastewater from a manufacturing plant to confirm the presence of sulfate ions (SO42−\text{SO}_4^{2-}SO42−).
The chemist carries out the following procedure:
A dense white precipitate forms immediately.
Explain why this procedure does not provide a valid test for sulfate ions in the wastewater, and state how the chemist should modify the method to obtain a valid conclusion.
Practise Edexcel GCSE Chemistry Qualitative analysis: tests for ions with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 127 questions, matched to the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry (1CH0) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
